Crossed Wars
by Black666Hunter
Summary: Warriors from various conflicts are drawn together in a situation that most don't fully understand. Their presence is backed up, command has their story written out but why they've come back to a hated war is a mystery to the eight stuck far from home with no idea how to get back to the lives they knew.
1. Ch 1 - Pilot

Snapping around at the sound of gunfire outside the bunker, the two Captains sharing command of Firebase Ladybird swapped a glance before launching into action. Captain Wallace went for the radio, trying to get some tac air or artillery to give them a hand. Captain Knight shot out of the bunker, heading out to join the men on the firing line to keep Charlie out of their camp for another night. The base quickly came to life with energized calls from the men all around the firebase, returning fire against the encroaching gooks.

Amid all the chaos around them, Captain Knight heard the distinct sound of their best Sergeant calling that he was coming back in from one of the listening posts outside the wire.

'Don't shoot! Don't shoot! Comin' in! Comin' in!'

'It's Sergeant Anderson! Give him cover fire!' Knight called, sprinting to the nearest foxhole and popping up, M16 pressed to his shoulder. 'Come on Zeke, run!'

Bolting through the nearest gap in the wire, Zeke didn't slow down as he leapt into the nearest foxhole, landing beside Captain Knight.

'Mickey! Yo, where's Mickey?' Johnson called, landing in another foxhole and opening fire on the enemy. 'Mickey!'

'Come on Rusty, where's our air support?' Knight uttered, noting Zeke leave the hole but more focused on nailing the enemy.

'Medic! The Lieutenant!' Zeke roared, somewhere further down the line.

Kissing the dirt as a mortar round landed way too close for comfort, Captain Knight popped right back up and whirled around, nailing the first gook to cross their perimeter. Gunfire from behind him took out the second but the third slipped past and got deeper into the base. Getting up, Knight kept his head down as he darted after the enemy, trying to get a bead on them before they used the satchel charge in their hand.

In the flickering lights of the fires started by mortars landing in their base, Knight spotted Anderson on the other side of their enemy and opened fire at the gook, nailing him in the back at the same time Zeke got him in the chest. Their efforts were for nothing though, the satchel charge was released, obliterating at least one barracks tent and possibly another one behind it.

'Anderson! Call for the night fire!' Knight barked, pushing off the sandbags he'd taken shelter behind and racing back towards the wire.

Moving among the men, nailing any gook that dared come too close, Captain Knight had to trust Zeke and Rusty to get the message across. Right now, he was needed on the wire leading the men to keep going even when things seemed so bleak. If they couldn't get a napalm strike on that tree line within the next few minutes, Firebase Ladybird stood a real chance of being wiped off the map.

There it was, barely audible over the gunfire and small artillery from both sides but it was there. Grabbing the nearest man, Captain Knight hit the deck, shielding his face as the night sky turned to day for a few burning minutes as a precision napalm strike roared through the south east tree line. Even with their faces in the dirt for protection, the men of Firebase Ladybird knew they would live to see another dawn in this hellhole.

'Perfect aim as always.' Aloysius uttered, lifting his head and looking up at the flames roaring on the other side of the wire. 'Alright men, let's finish the mopping up!'

With the rising sun came the rebuilding efforts, the men pulling together to put their firebase back together as their Captains tried to figure out just what the hell had happened. Just about every night they were visited by the VC but last night had been one of the worst hits in a while.

'Everyone accounted for, Aloysius?' Rusty asked, looking out over their damaged base slowly.

'The few that I have left, yeah.' Knight nodded, wiping the sweat and dirt from his face.

'I still can't believe command hasn't sent you replacements yet.' Rusty shrugged, resting one hand on Knight's shoulder. 'You should be running your own company, not sharing mine with the broken platoon you have left.'

'The way I see it, command is waiting to see if I'm still capable of leading a company. If I don't turn yours into a slaughterhouse like what happened to mine, I'll get another batch of cherries to worry about.' Knight offered, shooting Rusty a cheeky grin. 'Either that or they're waiting for you to step in it. I'll be here to cover your ass whatever happens.'

Shaking his head slowly, Rusty shoved his friend lightly as he wandered over to where Zeke was standing, watching the men gathering up their dead to be sent home. Glancing back to see what Aloysius was up to, Rusty smiled faintly as he watched his friend talking to the one remaining Sergeant he had after their last major assignment went to hell.

'This shouldn't have happened. It's supposed to be gettin' easier. We're supposed to be winning this war.' Rusty sighed, scratching at his filthy hair as he turned to Zeke.

'Oh yeah. Well I'll tell you something, Captain. We came about that far from gettin' overrun.' Zeke replied, holding his thumb and forefinger about an inch apart.

'I know.' Rusty nodded, glancing at Aloysius for a moment. 'Come on Zeke, I want you to take a walk with me. There's something I want to show you.'

Heading to where the enemy bodies were being laid out, Rusty wasn't at all surprised to find his counterpart standing beside the line talking with his Sergeant. Aloysius had come to the same conclusions as him without Zeke's guidance and it all pointed to big trouble.

'You were out there among 'em Zeke. They all look like this?' Rusty asked, wandering up beside Knight and pointing to the row of corpses.

'What are you talking about, the uniform?' Zeke asked, nodding to Sergeant Newman before turning his full attention to the bodies.

'Yeah.' Aloysius confirmed, interested to see what Zeke made of the situation.

'Yep. Every last one of 'em. And they ain't your typical rice paddy daddies either.' Zeke replied, looking along the line of bodies.

'Nope. We got something all together new here.' Rusty continued, stepping closer to the corpses and looking at their uniforms.

'North Vietnamese Army Regulars.' Aloysius nodded, examining patch on one of the uniforms.

'First time I've ever heard of them being this far south.' Newman remarked, kicking at the ground.

'Yeah. We've got a whole new war ahead of us.' Rusty sighed, shaking his head slowly. 'Hey, I got a job for you. I want you to police up these bodies. Battalion wants maps, paper, anything identifying material we can find. Then I want you to hop the first chopper over to Division headquarters. Major Braun is going to be very interested in this.'

'Yes Sir. Um, excuse me Sir but while I'm over there maybe I could do a little for you and Captain Knight.' Zeke replied, shifting so he could look at both officers.

'Good idea Zeke.' Rusty nodded, glancing at Aloysius to get his read.

'I was hoping you'd say that.' Zeke grinned, half turning away to go.

'By the way, you did a good job last night.' Rusty praised, still waiting for Aloysius' call on the recruiting offer.

'Hell, I'm alive. Can't do any better than that.' Zeke nodded, gaze swinging to Aloysius quickly.

'I could go with Sergeant Anderson, Sir.' Newman offered, eager to get off the firebase for a while.

'No, I want you to stay here and watch over Lieutenant Schofield. He's the last one on base for now, keep him safe. I'll go back and see if I find anyone that might fit our unique dynamic.' Aloysius grinned, clapping Rusty on the shoulder before wandering away to grab his gear.

'Keep an eye on him, Zeke. He's still hurting over the loss of his company.' Rusty warned, leaving the Sergeants to police up the bodies and find anything useful.

'We all are, Sir.' Newman sighed, crouching to help Zeke search.

Jumping off the chopper that brought them back to Chu Lai, HQ for the 23rd Infantry Division, Aloysius clapped Zeke on the shoulder as they waited for another chopper to take off before heading towards the command buildings.

'It's nothing against your capability, Zeke. But after losing so many men in that ambush, I gotta know I'm getting the right people for my company.' Aloysius shrugged, straightening his webbing and shouldering his rifle.

'You don't have to explain, Sir. You've lost a lot of good men, makes sense you'd want the best you can get to stop that happening again.' Zeke nodded, adjusting his grip on the bundle of goodies he was bringing for Major Braun.

'Something like that, Zeke.' Aloysius nodded, opening the door and ushering Zeke inside. 'Try to hold your tongue around the Major. I'll be right outside when you're done.'

'You're not coming in, Sir?' Zeke asked, making his way down the corridor.

'Nah, this is your time. Captain Wallace sent you to brief the Major, I'm just here to recruit.' Aloysius grinned, finding a chair just near Major Braun's office. 'Besides, best if I don't show my face to too many officers around here, I'm still mistrusted because of that incident.'

'Understood, Sir.' Zeke grinned, knocking sharply and waiting for permission to enter.

Settling back in the chair, Aloysius sighed softly as he ran one hand through his unkempt black hair. It was so hard to keep pretending that the story he'd concocted was real, it was so tough to pretend that he'd lost almost a full company in an ambush and wound up stumbling onto Firebase Ladybird with what was lest of his team. There were still a few things that puzzled him about the situation too, things that hardly seemed important but he couldn't stop thinking about them.

He knew roughly where they were and when they were but how they got there and why was still a huge mystery. All Aloysius knew for certain was the fact that he'd woken up in a small copse of trees beside Scarecrow and Mother, dressed in jungle greens and holding an M16. A quick check of the map shoved inside his shirt revealed their location, in the middle of the jungles of Vietnam. Only after a few days humping through the jungle and figuring out what to tell anyone they met, did they find the firebase.

They were welcomed in with open arms, given places to sleep and kitted out with all the gear they were missing. No one even asked about the fact there was a woman dressed for war and confident with her weapons, they just accepted Sergeant Newman was part of a highly secretive company of mixed troops from several branches of the American military. They didn't even challenge the obvious curiosity or an Army Captain leading a Marine Lieutenant and Sergeant.

Then there were the slightly odd weapons the team carried, explained away as prototypes and advancements to see if they were of any real use. It also helped to give the displaced team some familiarity in a war they'd only ever heard about. Aloysius carried a shotgun over his shoulder and a pair of 9 mil pistols on his hips, fairly normal weapons but the rounds in his pistols were unusual and got a lot of attention from their new friends. Aloysius had let Rusty try them on for size but the sheer power of his rounds had given the other man pause.

His two assigned Marines both carried .45 pistols on their belts. Mother had a Colt, scratched and worn but still functioning perfectly. Shane's classic Desert Eagle had remained in his holster, simply dropping calibre between their true home and this new reality. Adding to the curiosity around the team, both carried their well loved Maghooks from their belts, modified holsters keeping them from flapping about.

However they had wound up back in the middle of the Vietnam War, someone out there was watching over them. From the very first day they'd arrived at Ladybird, bloodied and exhausted, vital supplies had been available for their use. In amongst all the other supplies on the firebase, Shane had found gas canisters for the Maghooks and Aloysius' favoured bullstopper rounds. No one could explain how they got there but they were grateful for the assistance.

Shaking off such troubling thoughts when the door swung open, Aloysius slapped on a smile as he stood and waited for Zeke to close the office door behind him.

'Major Braun wanted me to tell my CO that if there is any further contact to try to get one of them alive.' Zeke shrugged, securing his webbing and shouldering his rifle as they wandered out of the building together.

'I'll make sure Rusty gets the message. But honestly, I'm more worried about keeping the men alive. I couldn't give a damn about their lives.' Aloysius nodded, patting down his pockets as they stepped outside. 'Command and their quotas…I blame them for what happened to my company.'

'You don't have to tell me, Sir.' Zeke shrugged, turning towards the accommodation compound where the cherries were housed before deployment. 'Shall we go see what's available to recruit?'

'Sounds like a plan Sergeant.' Aloysius grinned, dark mood lifting at the thought of possibly finding more of his friends out here. If Shane and Mother were here, possibly others had come through and landed elsewhere. Now if he could only find them.

Sending Zeke off to hunt up his own brand new cherries, Aloysius searched through the crowds for any familiar faces from personal experiences or stories told by his friends. Some of their descriptions left a little to be desired but he was hopeful of finding at least one familiar face in the personnel around him.

Wandering around one of the hooches, he paused at the sight of a familiar face but certainly not one that he would have expected to see. But then, he really should have expected something like this since Mother was making a name around the firebase. Peering closer, he checked the rank on the sleeves of the reading cherry and nodded faintly.

'Corporal Gant, front and centre!' he called, shouldering his rifle and waiting for the young Corporal to move.

Shooting to her feet, Corporal Gant raced across the dirt and slid to a stop in front of Aloysius, ripping off a perfect salute.

'Corporal Gant, reporting as ordered, Sir.' she grinned, eyes lighting up as she looked up at Aloysius. 'It's good to see you again, Sir.'

'Good to see you as well, Corporal.' Aloysius nodded, looking her over in disbelief.

'Sorry I was late Sir, paperwork mix up.' she offered, shoulders drooping a little. 'Command almost had me sent to the DMZ.'

'Be grateful you were late in, Corporal. The old company hit a rough patch a few weeks ago. The entire company entered the valley, only three escaped again.' Aloysius sighed, hanging his head sadly. 'The only other survivors were Lieutenant Schofield and Sergeant Newman.'

'Such shame, Sir. They were all good people.' Gant sighed, shaking her head slowly. 'If it's any help, I know Corporal Champion is here. I think I saw Sergeant Riley yesterday as well.'

'Do you know where Champion is now?' Aloysius asked, remembering Shane talking about a Renard Champion.

'She's in the hootch, Sir.' Gant replied, pointing over her shoulder. 'Renard! Out here!'

Seconds later, a lithe, dark haired woman was standing beside Gant, dark hair cut to regulation length to reveal her stunning dark eyes. She didn't quite fit the description Shane had given but it was close enough for Aloysius to be certain of her identity.

'Corporal Champion, Lieutenant Schofield will be glad to see you have finally caught up with the company.' Aloysius grinned, relaxing at the sight of the two women even though he was confused about Libby's appearance. 'Pack your trash, we leave at 1400 hours.'

'Yes, Sir.' they replied, turning and racing back into their hootch.

'Corporal Gant, where did you last see Sergeant Riley?' Aloysius called, glad for any tips to find any other friendly faces.

'I saw him over by the volleyball courts earlier, Sir.' Champion replied, pausing in the doorway. 'I think he was looking to get into a game, Sir.'

'Thank you Corporal.' Aloysius nodded, leaving the girls to pack up as he wandered towards the thick, muddy volleyball courts.

Hearing Zeke calling for winners, Aloysius smiled and jogged towards the corner of the hootch blocking his view of the volleyball courts.

'We are, nine to three.'

'Alright then. Winners, line up on the grass over there. Who's winning over there?' Zeke directed, sorting out his chosen men quickly.

'We are, ten to one.'

'Ten to one. Hell, you'd better line up over there too then.' Zeke laughed, sounding quite amused by the scores.

There was Buck, standing beside the volleyball courts, watching the selected teams heading over to the grassed area beside the courts. Perhaps a little leaner than the last time they'd seen each other but Aloysius hadn't forgotten Buck.

'Sergeant Riley, good to see you made it.' Aloysius grinned, wandering over to stand beside him.

'Captain Knight, I feared the worst when word got out about the company being wiped out.' Buck replied, looking up at Aloysius with a grin. 'Corporals Gant and Champion are here too.'

'I saw them earlier. Champion told me I'd find you here.' Aloysius nodded, looking around slowly.

'Sir, did anyone else survive the attack on the company?' Buck asked, turning his attention back towards the courts.

'Lieutenant Schofield and Sergeant Newman were the only other survivors. The three of us humped for two days to reach a firebase out in the middle of the boonies.' Aloysius sighed, shoving one hand in his pocket. 'Have you seen anyone else familiar from training?'

'I saw Lieutenant McKenzie a few days ago but he tends to hang around with the officers instead of us grunts.' Buck shrugged, rubbing his jaw thoughtfully. 'Apart from him and the two corporals, no Sir. I have been looking but I don't recognise anyone else around here.'

'It'll be good to find Lieutenant McKenzie, he'll be vital to rebuilding the company. It's been tough with just one line of command.' Aloysius mused, looking around for any sign of Rufus. 'Go pack your trash. We're leaving at 1400 hours.'

'Understood, Sir.' Buck grinned, stepping back from the muddy courts. 'Oh, dunno if he's part of our group but there's a Sergeant Huguenot around that I think you might be interested in, Sir. He's tough, carries paired M60's without fault.'

'Huguenot you say…any idea where he might be now?' Aloysius asked, catching on the name and thinking back to Mother's stories.

'Yeah, he's in my hootch. Do you want me to get him, Sir?' Buck nodded, turning back to Aloysius.

'No, just tell him to pack his gear and be ready to ship out at 1400 hours.' Aloysius directed, flashing Buck a grin. 'I heard much the same from Newman and we really do need a new pig gunner. Sounds like this Huguenot will fit in nicely.'

'Understood, Sir.' Buck replied, turning and racing off back towards his hootch.

Careful to keep his rank obscured, Aloysius watched Zeke select his winners and gather them together before starting to brief them, talking to them to sort out anyone that he didn't want. He was inspiring to watch, he had a great presence that people flocked towards. People wanted to work with him because he had the signs of a veteran and a man that would keep them alive for as long as he could.

'Alright, all ya'll who are bleedin' take a step back, I do not want any bleeders, I cannot stand the sight of blood. Not you son, those are skinned knuckles. Skinned knuckles are okay. Alright, in case you haven't figured it out yet, I'm looking for winners. Survivors, 'cause that's what I am, I'm a survivor. I'm very good at it, but it also helps if you have a certain amount of natural ability.' Zeke declared, pacing along the line of men he'd picked out. 'Anyone wanna get high? Huh, I go boo-koo Vietnamese dope. Good dope. Nobody?'

Satisfied that Zeke was handling the situation and picking only the best men for Ladybird, Aloysius left him to it, still hoping to find a few more familiar faces in the men gathered at Chu Lai, waiting for their turn to see the hell of war in Vietnam.

Keeping a sharp eye on the men that were destined for Ladybird, Aloysius made sure all of his selections ended up on the second truck, right where he knew Zeke would naturally head for the long drive back to base. They were a mismatched bunch, with two skinny corporals, some hefty Sergeants and him but there was still no sign of Lieutenant McKenzie. He couldn't leave without McKenzie, he couldn't run the risk of him ending up in some other hellhole, far from his friends.

'Alright, let's load 'em up! Move it! Move it! Move it! C'mon, move! Move! Move! Move!' Zeke barked, trying to get the men moving a little faster. 'Alright, any of you men know which one of these officers is Second Lieutenant Goldman?'

'Yeah, I'm Lieutenant Goldman.' a young, fresh faced man replied, turning to Zeke.

'I'm your platoon Sergeant, I'm Anderson.' Zeke nodded, noticing Aloysius and waiting to see what would happen.

'Well, where's your salute Sergeant?' Goldman asked, eyeing Zeke up and down quickly.

'Could ask the same of you, Lieutenant.' Aloysius added, scanning the men again and spotting his missing Lieutenant hustling towards them. 'Come on McKenzie! Move your ass!'

'Coming Sir!'

Turning his gaze back to Goldman, Aloysius smirked at the sight of the fresh Lieutenant holding a perfect salute. Smoothing out his face, Aloysius returned the salute and adjusted his rifle over his shoulder quickly.

'That's better Lieutenant. Now get on the damn truck and quit giving Anderson a hard time. You're lucky to have him as a platoon Sergeant. If I could get away with it, I'd poach him for my company.' Aloysius directed, pointing to the truck beside them.

'You know Captain Wallace would have something to say about that.' Zeke grinned, turning his attention to Aloysius as Goldman climbed onto the truck. 'You'll just have to make do with Newman, Riley and what'd you say the other one was named?'

'Huguenot.' Aloysius replied, indicating the big man sitting in the truck with two M60's leaning against his legs. 'Not sure what he's like but he'll give Charlie a shock for sure. Double M60's, that's really going to piss the VC off.'

Looking up at the man that came sliding to a stop behind Aloysius, Zeke couldn't help but swallow nervously. He was absolutely huge, towering over the Captain with an M16 in his hand and another slung over his shoulder.

'Second Lieutenant McKenzie, reporting as ordered Sir.' he barked, ripping off a textbook salute.

'Welcome to Delta Company, Lieutenant.' Aloysius nodded, turning around and returning the salute. 'Or at least, what's left of Delta Company. I'll give you the rundown later.'

'Yes, Sir.' McKenzie nodded, climbing up onto the truck and finding a seat. 'Told ya I'd be seein' ya around, Goldman.'

'Somehow I doubt Bravo and Delta Companies will ever be separated.' Aloysius mused, nudging Zeke towards the truck. 'Up you go Sergeant, I'll chase the last of them up.'

'Yes Sir.' Zeke nodded, swinging up into the truck bed and finding a seat.

'If your asses ain't in the trucks in the next ten seconds, you're running back to Ladybird!' Aloysius roared, climbing up among his men. 'Ten…nine…eight…'

Zeke couldn't wipe the grin off his face as the last stragglers scrambled onto the trucks, pulling their buddies in and squeezing up to make space. Shuffling off the bench, Huguenot sat on the floor of the bed, one machinegun strapped to his back and the other cradled safely in his lap.

'Alright, let's move out!' Aloysius nodded, dropping into a crouch at the front of the truck bed and settling his M16 across his knees.

'Doubt I'll ever get tired of seeing ya do that, Sir.' Zeke grinned, resting his rifle against his knee.

'Half these cherries don't even realise there's a Captain among them. They respond to the fierce voice of a veteran.' Aloysius shrugged, lighting up a cigarette and relaxing. 'Smoke 'em if you got 'em guys. It's a long drive back to Ladybird.'

Constantly scanning for trouble, Zeke looked around slowly, watching over the men and make sure everyone was settling into the idea of getting used to the idea that they were in for some hard times ahead. Fresh faced and so young, it was a good chance that most of them wouldn't survive but we would just have to see what happened.

'Hey Sergeant, how can you tell if they're Viet Cong or not?' Baker asked, turning his gaze towards Zeke quickly.

'Just pull 'em over and ask for their drivers' license.' Zeke replied, shaking his head slowly.

'You're gonna have fun with him Zeke.' Aloysius muttered, adjusting his helmet quickly and looking around. 'I got a feeling he's going to be an interesting one to get used to.'

Without any warning, one of the other guys up the front stood and raised his weapon, aiming up in the sky. Without hesitation, he opened fire, calling out that he'd seen VC somewhere nearby. Putting no thought into the situation, Aloysius stood and yanked the rifle out of his hand before shoving the guy over the edge of the truck.

'I hate it when these idiots do that. Everyone relax, it's just an initiation.' Aloysius called, watching the trouble maker as one of the other trucks stopped and picked him up.

'So why throw him off the truck? You could have hurt him, Sir.' Goldman asked, getting to his feet and checking for the troublemaker.

'Sometimes it's the easier way to teach them he screwed up. He'll be fine, it's unlikely he'll cause trouble again.' Aloysius shrugged, settling back down and getting comfortable.

It was an old joke and one Aloysius had seen so many times before. For now, their problem would be sitting back there in one of the other trucks until they got to camp. Then Aloysius would have sure he got the message about that kind of behaviour.

'What, are you a West Pointer, Lieutenant?' Zeke asked, most of his attention back on Goldman again but he was also looking out for trouble.

'No, Officer Candidate School.' Goldman replied, starting to relax just a little bit.

'Another butterbur.' one of the other new arrivals remarked, rolling his eyes quickly.

'Hey, I said knock it off.' Zeke warned, glaring at the speaker and shaking his head.

'Zeke, sometimes you have to let the new guys screw up. Just you watch, Goldman will get himself into a situation that's out of control and he'll get hurt. It's part of the job out here.' Aloysius shrugged, shuffling closed to Goldman and Anderson.

'What makes you so sure of that? I know what I'm doing.' Goldman asked, eyeing Aloysius suspiciously. 'I can survive this place, I know what has to be done.'

'It happens to all of us at one time or another.' Aloysius shrugged, removing his helmet and pointing to a thick scar running near his left ear. 'Got that one my first week in country, never even saw it coming until I was on the ground bleeding.'

'Every officer makes a few mistakes, Goldman. Its part of getting used to the job at hand, you will make at least one trip to the rear for medical treatment within the next few weeks.' Rufus added, slipping off his shirt and rolling up the sleeve of his tee-shirt to reveal a thick scar on the back of his right bicep. 'Got that a couple weeks ago, training accident that went wrong.'

'I seriously doubt that'll happen to me, Captain.' Goldman replied, turning his attention back to Zeke. 'How long you been in Vietnam?'

'I'm four months into my fourth tour.' Zeke replied, still thinking about what Aloysius had said.

'Your third tour?' Goldman asked, shocked and concerned about Zeke's mental stability.

'Yeah. Maybe I'm a little crazy.' Zeke nodded, comfortable with his tours and calm about all he'd done over here so far.

'Yeah.' Myron chuckled, stunned that Anderson was still here after two years of fighting.

Watching Zeke move back to talk to one of the other guys, Aloysius stood and dropped down beside Goldman, reaching into his pocket for his cigarettes. Lighting up, he settled back and looked up at the sky for a moment before turning his attention to the younger man beside him.

'You've got to relax a little, Goldman. You're going to see a lot of things that you don't understand straight away and you're going to witness stuff that you don't want to think about at all. You need to really listen to what Anderson is telling you, he's been around and seen a lot of bad things out there. He knows what to expect and how to stay alive.' Aloysius guided, smiling at the sound of a harmonica duet from the back of the truck.

'I know what I'm doing Captain, I came out in the top half of my class in OCS.' Goldman replied, going back to staring out at the scenery.

'What you learned in OCS isn't going to be as helpful as you thought out here.' Aloysius corrected, dropping his gaze. 'Let me tell you the story of what happened to my Delta Company.'

'I don't see what the point is but I'm listening.' Goldman nodded, reaching for his own cigarettes.

Aloysius hated talking about that incident in the valley but it was the only story he had that would hopefully open Goldman's eyes to the troubles he could be facing out there in the jungle. No one liked to talk about the dead, the reminders were everywhere but this story had to be said.

'We were sent to investigate a valley not too far from Ladybird, command said there was supposed to be a VC tunnel setup there that needed to be dealt with before we get up another firebase in the area. We took the full company in, intelligence reporting a couple of companies worth of VC in the area so we figured it would take a few days but we'd get there in the end. Oh boy, we were wrong. We walked right into a VC ambush, it started raining lead before anyone knew what was going on. Some of us were able to find cover and return fire but it was a pointless effort really.' Aloysius explained, staring down at his boots. 'As soon as I realised just how severely outnumbered we were out there, I ordered everyone back to a previous clearing to regroup.'

'How many did you encounter?' Goldman asked, trying to understand what Aloysius was trying to tell him.

'Best guess, we hit a Battalion out there. We waited at the RV for six hours but only five make it back there. One died there beside me, we dragged him into the bushes to return for later. Another was killed as we tried to make our escape, leaving just three survivors from a company. We ran for hours, constantly looking for trouble and trying to figure out where to turn. The choppers couldn't get to us, there was trouble further north and everything was committed up there. So we checked the maps and found Ladybird, just over the hills and close enough to be reachable. It took us three days to get there, travelling only when we were reasonably certain that the VC weren't around.' Aloysius continued, lifting his gaze a little more.

'Keep going, Sir.' Rufus coaxed, crouching beside Aloysius and listening to the story of the old Delta Company and their tragedy.

'By the time Ladybird was in sight, we were just about out of hope. We were down to our last magazines for my pistols and Lieutenant Schofield's M16. Sergeant Newman's M60 was dry, the last of that ammo had been used the night before to protect us from another ambush. Schofield had been shot in the shoulder, Newman had a bullet wound in her side and I had one in the leg but we knew we couldn't stop. Bloodstained and exhausted, we emerged from the jungle and headed straight for the base, hoping like hell that someone recognised us as friendly. We were lucky, the men of Bravo Company registered our uniforms and put down cover fire until we were safe inside the wire.' Aloysius sighed, rubbing the outside of his left calf where he had a scar from that misadventure. 'Captain Wallace didn't ask any questions, he took us in and cared for us without a care for where we'd come from.'

'I'm guessing you sent someone back for the bodies.' Goldman remarked, eyes widening in disbelief at what Aloysius had going through.

'Yeah, we reported it all back to HQ and they sent in a recovery team as quickly as they could. But Charlie had been busy out there. The rescue team only found 60 bodies, the rest had disappeared into the jungle and no one knew what happened to them. Occasionally we'll find a pile of bones and send it back to the rear just in case but we're still missing 53 members of the original Delta Company.' Aloysius finished, pulling a piece of paper from one of his pockets. 'I keep a list of names with me all the time, those we've found and those still missing out here. One day, I'm hoping to have al 172 names crossed off and home with their families.'

Goldman was silent for a while, looking at the page Aloysius had handed him. So many names, arranged in neat rows by rank and then alphabetical order by surname. Some were crossed out with dates beside them of when the individual was found but the majority were still waiting to be located and sent back to their loved ones.

'I'm sorry to hear about that, Sir.' Goldman offered, handing the page back.

'Just be careful out there, Lieutenant. Trouble lurks behind every tree, tuft of grass and even under our feet. If you don't want to ask Sergeant Anderson for guidance, talk to Lieutenant Schofield. He knows all too well the dangers out there, he's seen things you can only imagine.' Aloysius nodded, tucking the page inside his pocket safely.

'I'll keep that in mind Sir.' Goldman replied, settling back and thinking about what had been said.

Arriving at the firebase, Rufus didn't bother waiting for the cherries to get out before jumping out. Using his impressive height to advantage, he vaulted straight over the side of the truck, landing lightly in the dust and looking around to get a feel for their new camp. Dry and dusty with tents for shelter and sandbags all over the place, it hardly looked welcoming but it was better than what he'd been expecting for a firebase this far from the rear.

'Alright ladies, this is it. Welcome home. Follow me, we'll get you bunked down. Right this way. C'mon, c'mon, move it, move it.' Zeke called, getting the enlisted men moving towards their tents.

'Lieutenant, the CO's bunker is right over this way. He'll want to talk to you both.' Aloysius added, launching over the side and landing lightly beside Rufus.

Slotting in beside Aloysius, Rufus adjusted the M16 on his back and scanned the area slowly, getting a feeling for the place he now called home. It wasn't much to look at but in time, he knew he would get used to it and all the dangers that came with living on a firebase.

'Welcome back, Sir.' Sergeant Newman called, running over to greet them.

'Thanks, Mother. Where's Schofield, I'd like him to meet the new Lieutenants on base.' Aloysius grinned, clapping her on the shoulder.

'He's supervising repairs to the wire. I'll tell him to head for the CO's bunker.' she replied, turning and running off again.

'Pick your jaw up Goldman, she's only one of the women you'll see around here. Watch out for them, they are as mean as can be.' Aloysius warned, approaching the tent where he spent most of his time.

Motioning for the pair to wait, Aloysius stepped into the bunker and let the flap close behind him. They could hear quiet whispers on the other side but neither fresh Lieutenant could quite make out what was being said about them. Then another man joined them and he slipped straight inside, not even looking at the pair outside.

'You wanted to see me, Captain?'

'Not quite like that, Schofield.' Aloysius replied, a hint of amusement in his voice. 'Goldman! McKenzie! In here, now.'

Striding into the tent, they came to attention and saluted, eyes flicking among the three men already standing in the tent. Shoulder to shoulder, they looked at the trio standing across from them, noting how dirty they were and then thinking about their own clean uniforms.

'Lieutenant Goldman, reporting for duty.'

'Lieutenant McKenzie, reporting for duty.'

'I'm Rusty Wallace.' Rusty offered, getting to his feet and coming around his desk. 'At ease. Did you have a good trip out?'

'Yes, Sir. Fast.' Goldman replied, shaking Rusty's hand warmly.

'Good, except for that idiot initiation.' Rufus added, also shaking Rusty's hand.

'Where you from?' Rusty asked, perching on the edge of his desk.

'New York, Queens, Sir.' Myron replied, looking just a little uncomfortable.

'Houston Texas, Sir.' Rufus added, dropping to one knee and adjusting his rifles.

'New York, you don't sound like it.' Rusty mused, puffing away on his pipe.

'Thank you Sir.' Myron smiled, relaxing a fraction but he was still up tight.

'Don't mention it. You know, there was a Colonel in World War Two, a famous Colonel Goldman.' Rusty continued, glancing at Aloysius for a moment.

'Yes, Sir. Probably my father, Martin Goldman. Won the Congressional Medal of Honour at the Battle of the Bulge.' Myron nodded, a little self conscious about that fact.

'That's a hard act to follow.' Rusty remarked, still not sure why the other fresh Lieutenant was holding back.

'Yes Sir.' Myron agreed, keeping his gaze locked on Rusty.

'You know, I had a famous father too. He was a baseball player, so I played football.' Rusty grinned, trying to get some kind of a reaction from the other man.

'Well, I plan on following in my father's tradition. Hopefully surpassing him in some ways.' Myron nodded, his words giving Aloysius pause but he'd soon figure things out.

'What about you Rufus?' Rusty continued, turning his attention to the crouching man.

'My father's a farmer, nothing to his name but a patch of Texas dirt. We ain't rich but we've got enough.' Rufus shrugged, his drawl bringing a smile to Rusty's face. 'It's different being down here but I'll adjust.'

'What do you mean?' Rusty asked, his curiosity piqued now.

'Used to be a pilot, flying tac air for whoever needed it out here. Got shot down on one mission, had to play hide and seek from the gooks for a couple weeks before I made it back to one of the rear bases. Retrained as a grunt after that, one close call was enough.' Rufus explained, scratching at his hair. 'Dropped a rank but I figure it's worth it.'

Stepping up from where he'd been standing beside Aloysius, Shane offered his hand to the pair, getting a feeling for the two men he'd be working alongside now. It didn't matter that Goldman was technically Bravo not Delta, the pressure still came off his shoulders.

'Welcome to Ladybird. I'm First Lieutenant Schofield.' he grinned, noting the faint hesitation from Goldman before he shook. 'It'll be nice to have some extra help around here, for the last couple of days I've been the only Lieutenant on base.'

'You're all going to be going into battle tomorrow. We're going after the same bastard that hit us the other night. I don't like to send new Lieutenants out but we don't have much choice. I'm going to give you the same advice that I give all new Lieutenants. Rely on your Sergeant's experience, the men know him and they trust him.' Rusty briefed, gaze sweeping the three Lieutenants standing together, ready for orders.

'Is my Sergeant, Anderson, Sir?' Goldman asked, sounding just a little annoyed.

'That's right. Do you have a problem with that, Myron?' Aloysius confirmed, lighting up a cigarette.

'No Sir. Uh, the Sergeant just has an odd sense of…uh…' Myron offered, struggling to find the right words to explain his concerns about Anderson.

'He's a good man, give him a chance.' Rusty grinned, fully confident in his words.

'Rufus, you'll be working with Sergeant Newman. She's been around, she'll make sure you get the hang of things. Shane, you've got a choice of Huguenot or Riley, they're both green but I've got no doubt you'll pick a good match. Whoever is left will be working with me, so pick wisely.' Aloysius added, not sure which way Shane would turn.

'I'll take Riley, I remember him. I saw Huguenot, you'll have a better chance of handling him I think, Sir.' Shane nodded, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

'I thought you'd say that, Shane. He'll be settling in among the other Sergeants, go give him the good news.' Aloysius grinned, dismissing Shane with a wave. 'And inform Sergeant Newman of her new posting too, I expect she will want to get to know her Lieutenant as well.'

'Yes, Sir. Captain Wallace.' Shane replied, nodding respectfully to the pair before running from the tent to find his new Sergeant.

'You two are dismissed.' Rusty added, returning the salutes from the new pair before they left the tent quickly.

Another night, another round of incoming mortar fire and the troops fled into the bunkers for shelter. Old hands and cherries alike huddled together and waited for the bombardment to end, each one praying that their bunker didn't take a direct hit. Making sure everyone else was inside, the Sergeants hustled inside, checking that their troops were safe as they took their seats.

Last through the door was the towering bulk of Sergeant Newman, the meanest Sergeant in Vietnam. Even Zeke backed off when she started calling the shots, he knew she was more talented than he was and she could do more damage than he could on his best day.

'This happen very often?' Percell asked, pressing in against the wall.

'Standard operating procedure.' Taylor replied, listening to the whistle of mortars overhead.

'Happens almost every night, cherry boy.' Johnson added, tucked up close beside Taylor.

'Yeah, they fire at us, we fire at them. It's like sex to those artillery guys.' Taylor agreed, adjusting his helmet quickly.

'Don't worry about it. It'll be over in a few minutes.' Zeke soothed, perched on the end of the sand bag seating.

Standing in front of the curtain covered entrance, Newman kept a sharp eye on the situation, making sure the men were secure and calm as they waited out the bombardment. Technically this should have been Zeke's job but they'd both learnt that her presence often helped to calm rattled soldiers after a close call.

'Oh god. Oh god. Let me out. Let me out! Let me out!' Ruiz panicked, getting up and running for the exit.

'Easy trooper, easy.' Newman soothed, pulling him to her chest and holding him tight so he didn't risk his life outside. 'Stay in the bunker.'

'It's over there!' Ruiz called, trying to escape Newman's grip but she held fast. 'A rat. I hate rats.'

Zeke could only watch in wonder as Mother worked her magic on Ruiz, holding him close and resting his head against her chest, holding him there with one powerful arm. It wasn't often that she used her womanly charms on the men but when she did, she could sooth any man.

'It's true. There are women on base.' he uttered, relaxing into her a little more.

'That's right. Just relax, I'll handle this.' Mother nodded, looking around for a moment. 'Chickadee, take care of Ruiz while I deal with this rat.'

'I've got it Mother.' Libby grinned, getting to her feet and coming over to draw Ruiz into her arms.

Removing her helmet and plucking Ruiz's off his head, Mother approached the corner where the rat was creeping along the sandbags. Reaching out, she grabbed it by the tail and dragged it into her helmet before slapping his on top to create a ball of steel. Holding the ball tight between her hands, she shook it a few times to make the rat dizzy before stepping outside. She came back in a few minutes later and gave Ruiz back his helmet.

'It's gone Ru, don't worry. Pitched it way out into the middle of the firebase, it would be back to bug you again.' Mother soothed, resting one hand on his back lightly. 'c'mon, let got of my Corporal. There will be other times to enjoy the brief embrace of a woman.'

Releasing his grip, Ruiz smiled at Libby for a moment before turning and hugging Mother then returning to his place, barely noticing the mortars pounding into the base now that he'd had the touch of a woman in the middle of hell.

'I will never understand how you do that, Mother.' Zeke remarked, resting one hand on her shoulder lightly.

'It's the gift of breasts, Zeke. For these guys, the comfort of resting their head on the soft chest of a woman is precious.' Mother shrugged, understanding the men around her and doing what she could to ease their struggles.

Pretty much given free reign so long as they worked alongside the missions for the firebase, Aloysius organised his partial company for the mission at hand, saddling them up beside Bravo to go after the bastards that had made such a mess of their home. It was strange to see NVA regulars this far south but that just made them a target for Knight and his highly trained batch of misfitting troops from across the globe.

His team had come together, reinforcing old friendships and pulling off an impressive display of firepower and skill as they stood united beside one of the choppers. A lot of eyes were on Sergeant Jean-Claude Huguenot, a French machine Gunner with a big attitude. Buck hadn't been kidding back in the rear, he carried his paired M60's comfortably, one held in his arms and the other resting against his back for now but Aloysius had seen his harness in action and knew Jean-Claude could bring both machine guns into play if needed.

Leaving Rusty to brief his troops, Aloysius gathered his broken company to him, looking around at the regular troops he'd had to take on just to fill his ranks. He didn't really want them but he needed more troops on the ground. Maybe after this mission he could talk to Rusty about poaching some of his older hands to level the numbers in Delta.

'Men, Ladybird lost a lot of good friends the other night. Now we have a chance to get a little payback. We have reports of a large concentration of NVA regulars in the vicinity. Now, they've never been seen this far south before. But we're going to stop them, with extreme prejudice. We're going in with Bravo Company and play bait. We'll go out, make contact and when we do, Brigade will come down hard and heavy. Classic hammer and anvil.' Aloysius briefed, one ear on Rusty as he gave a similar brief to his men. 'Squad leaders, check your men!'

Moving back to stand closer to their chopper, Aloysius watched in silence as his three Sergeants checked the men, taking a few moments to talk to each one before moving along the lines.

'So you did manage to fill your ranks again, Aloysius?' Rusty asked, wandering over to join him.

'Temporarily at best, Rusty. Command sent me a batch of cherries to make a Company, no idea how long these poor fools will survive.' Aloysius shrugged, resting one hand on his pistol. 'Command knows better than to give me fresh cherries, they simply don't survive in among the hard cores of Delta Company.'

'We'll see what's left after this mission. I'm sure we can find you some older hands to fill a few gaps.' Rusty nodded, glancing back over to where Zeke was all up in the face of one of his cherries.

'That Horne is going to be trouble. Zeke shoulda known better than to bring a damned pacifist into this mess. We don't need his kind up here.' Aloysius groused, shaking his head slowly.

'We'll just have to see what happens.' Rusty mused, watching as Horne was saddled with the radio.

'You know my feelings about the men of Bravo. If that dawk is the reason one of those men don't come back, I'll take him out behind the latrines and teach him a few things.' Aloysius promised, glaring at Horne angrily. 'Don't give me that look, Rusty. I'll leave my rank on the desk before I do anything to him.'

'I'll be there to second you.' Rusty uttered, looking away from the men so no one realised what they were discussing.

'Appreciate that Rusty.' Aloysius grinned, turning back to his men. 'Let's go! Let's load 'em up!'

Something weird happened when Aloysius called for the men to saddle up and get on with the mission. Delta Company moved towards their chopper as expected but Bravo also moved, running for their ride out into the bush. Only when Rusty repeated the order to move out did Alpha and Charlie Companies mount up for the flight out.

'We might be able to work with that.' Rusty uttered, winking at Aloysius before running for his chopper and bounding up.

'We'll have to see how they go out there.' Aloysius mumbled, joining his team in their chopper.

They hit the ground running at the LZ, scrambling off the choppers and opening fire on the NVA hanging around the edges of their chosen clearing. Knight's D Company showed why they were held in such high regard, scattering to protect Bravo within their midst and bring down the pain on the enemy. Weaving through the battle zone, they came together, focusing the Bravo men as the choppers lifted off again.

Right in the middle of it all, using his smaller stature to the best advantage, Lieutenant Schofield weaved through the chaos all around him, staying low and looking for the other RTO out here. Benny Jameson was dead, the radio shot through and his corpse already on the way back to base so Shane had to find the cherry Horne in all this to call for some arty on the tree line. Without the help from the rear, they would be slaughtered out here without ever knowing how many were in the trees.

'Oh you have got to be fuckin' kidding.' Shane groaned, staring in disbelief as Goldman actually ran across the clearing. 'Goldman, get the fuck down!'

Launching from her spot, Sergeant Newman grabbed Goldman by his belt and threw him down beside her, dropping him beside Rufus.

'That's the surest way to get ya head blown off.' she growled, turning her attention back to the enemy in the tree line.

'Keep that up and you won't survive a month out here, Myron.' Rufus added, wielding his paired M16's with ease. 'Where's your RTO? Ours died back on the bird.'

'Bravo Company is mine to command. We are taking that tree line.' Myron roared, moving to get up again but Rufus pinned him down.

'You try it and Bravo Company will be obliterated like the original Delta.' Rufus warned, relaxing a little when Zeke came up beside them.

'Keep your butt down Lieutenant and call in artillery, let them do it.' Zeke added, focused on keeping Myron on track.

'I am in command here, Sergeant. Now we're taking that tree line. You'll follow my orders.' Myron shot back, not at all happy with being manhandled.

'No, Lieutenant, I'm not dying and neither are these men. Horne, get up here with that radio!' Zeke countered, rolling to make space for Horne beside him.

Shuffling closer, Rufus reached over Myron's back to pluck the radio handset from Zeke's hand. He got the idea and backed off, leaving Rufus to call for the support they needed.

'Red Leg, this is Delta 4. Fire mission from Whiskey Delta add 100 mikes. Gooks in the tree line. Adjust fire. Over.' Rufus called, unhooking a third M16 from his back and setting it beside him.

"Rounds on the way. First round in smoke." Someone far to the rear replied, sounding excited to get a fire mission.

'There it is Lieutenant!' Horne called, pointing to the smoke off to the side of where they needed it.

'Alright, Red Leg, Delta 4. Drop 100. Fire for effect. Over.' Rufus corrected, calculating the over shoot without too much trouble.

"Roger Delta 4, we copy."

With a whistle and a roar, the rounds came down on target, tearing apart the tree line where most of the trouble was coming from. It was a think of beauty to watch as shells from far to their south tore apart the trees and put a ton of dust and smoke into the air right on Charlie's heads.

'See that Myron, all you gotta do is let arty do the work. Nobody gets hurt that way.' Rufus grinned, flicking the handset back to Horne.

'You keep up your fire, Baker! Keep firing men! C'mon, keep firing Taylor!' Myron roared, ignoring Rufus and Zeke to try and be a big shot.

'The curse of the greens strikes again, hey Zeke.' Mother smirked, rolling away and opening fire on something moving in the grass.

'Where's your weapon, soldier?' Myron continued, finally noticing Horne was unarmed.

'I left it on the chopper.' Horne replied, unconcerned about his choice.

'It's a good thing someone picked it up.' Rufus added, reaching over Myron's back to smack Horne in the head with his rifle. 'You pull a stunt like that again and it'll be my size 16 up your ass so far you'll taste it!'

'You could always superglue the damn thing to his hand!' Mother suggested, starting to crawl forward again.

'He leaves it behind again and I know Captain Knight will suture it to both fucking hands.' Rufus spat, taking off after Myron.

'What's going on over here?' Aloysius asked, appearing on Zeke's other side. 'I expect an answer Sergeant Anderson.'

'Horne's refusing to fight or even carry a weapon. Rufus just gave his back after the damned idiot left it on the fuckin' chopper.' Libby briefed, crawling past behind Sergeant Huguenot.

'I'll deal with you when we get back to the firebase, Horne. One more screw up and I'll have you in a posting that makes combat duty seem like a walk in the park.' Aloysius snapped, shaking his head in disgust. 'You stick close to your Lieutenant. Make no mistake, I will ask him if your weapon ever leaves your hands again.'

Taking up positions above and along the overgrown track leading into the NVA headquarters, Aloysius settled beside Goldman and Horne, glad to see that Horne was still holding his rifle. Okay, so he still wasn't aiming it any the enemy but the fact he had it was a big step in the right direction. Then, over Myron's call to Rusty for support, Aloysius heard something he'd never wanted to hear again for as long as he lived.

'Oh god. Look Sergeant, a wire Sergeant. There's a wire.'

'Schofield, go fish that man off the wire.' Knight ordered, hoping to hell that they didn't screw this one up. 'You know what to do.'

'I got it, Captain.' Schofield nodded, leaving his spot and hustling down towards the trapped man.

Securing his rifle, Shane pulled his specialised kit, the one bit of gear that he knew everyone else wanted to know more about.

'Just stay still, kid. We'll get you off that wire in just a moment.' Shane soothed, activating the grappling hook and placing it over the young man's ankle. 'It's gonna be okay, just stay nice and still for me, okay.'

'Freeze Lawrence, don't move.' Johnson added, wondering what Schofield was doing.

'Stay right where you are man.' Taylor added, hoping they were far enough back from whatever was going to happen.

'Don't worry. I'm alright.' Lawrence uttered, scared out of his mind but trying to be brave. 'I ain't going nowhere.'

'This might pinch a bit but it's going to be okay. We'll have you off that thing in no time.' Shane continued, flicking the switch to close the grapple around Lawrence's ankle.

'I think I pressed it already, Lieutenant. Help me, I think I already pushed it a little.' Lawrence pleaded, not even daring to look back to see what Schofield was doing.

'Stay cool, Lawrence. We'll have you free in just a few seconds.' Shane promised, playing out the cable and backing away from the trapped man. 'Anderson, Newman. Over here, now.'

'What do you need, Sir?' Zeke asked, reluctant to move away from his man but he knew he wouldn't be called if he wasn't needed.

'Grab the line but don't pull it just yet. On three, we're going that way as fast as we can.' Shane nodded, clamping off the cable and getting a firm grip on the launcher in his hands. 'Just a few seconds now, Lawrence. It's going to be just fine.'

Grabbing hold of the cable just in front of the launcher, Mother and Zeke both watched Shane for the count. If they got this wrong, those NVA troops would know where they were and they'd lose a man all in one fell swoop.

'One…two…three.' Shane snapped, heaving the Maghook body back towards him as his chosen Sergeants put all their strength into yanking on that super strong cable. Lawrence came flying off the landmine, screaming in shock and fear as he was sent flying into the long grass behind Shane.

That's about when everything went to hell. The NVA regulars down at their weapons cache started yelling and opened fire on the men arranged above them. Goldman gave the order and a fire fight opened up between the two sides. On Shane's signal, Newman and Anderson raced back into the battle as Shane knelt beside the young man they'd just blown mission security for.

He was still alive, seriously maimed but at least he was still alive. The hand that had been on the mine was gone, taken off by the force of the explosion. His face was blistered and burned from the close call and his uniform was shredded, revealing more burns all over his chest.

'Hang in there Lawrence, you're okay now. You'll be back in the world before you know it, son.' Shane soothed, looking up when Randy Matsuda, team medic, joined him and quickly got to work on stabilising Lawrence.

'That was a gutsy thing you did, Lieutenant.' Randy praised, most of his attention on the wounded man. 'Hang in there Lawrence. Easy now, you're gonna be okay.'

'Take care of him Randy, I'm needed on the firing line.' Shane nodded, releasing his Maghook and securing it even as he scrambled back to the ridgeline.

Right in the middle of the American line, Sergeant Huguenot set two green pouches beside his guns and opened fire, stitching the valley below with the maximum firepower he could muster. He knew the smarter thing would be to alternate fire, giving each barrel a few minute to cool at each half belt but right now, it was too much of a risk.

'Baba, mortar team to your west! Nail it!' Knight roared, popping up beside Horne and pouring another magazine down into the gooks.

'Got it!' Jean-Claude replied, swinging his aim around and hammering at the mortar team he could see. The angle was bad and they were half hidden behind scrub but Jean-Claude kept pouring major firepower onto the area in an attempt to silence the mortar cutting them to pieces.

Not exactly sure about Zeke's plan to flank the enemy, Aloysius gave his blessing for the older man to give it a shot and leapt over Myron and Horne, rolling to cover their open flank. Zeke's plan might be their only chance to get out of this one alive and Aloysius was going to buy him all the time he could.

'Medic! Medic! I'm hit! I'm hit! Percell, they're behind us! They're behind us!' Baker roared, shuffling to get below the line of enemy fire.

'I've got you, Baker.' Champion called, rolling him into the lowest point and reaching for one of the field dressings tucked into her helmet strap. 'You'll be okay, Baker.'

'That hurts bad, man. That really hurts.' Baker panted, flinching away from the bullets impacting right near them.

'You'll be alright. You'll be alright.' Champion grinned, tearing open the dressing and binding the wound quickly. 'It's just a little flesh wound. No biggie, you'll be just fine.'

'Fire! Lay it down! Lay it down!' Goldman snapped, trying to stay on top of everything going on around them.

'We got no air support in the AO.' Shane briefed, tossing the handset back to Horne and scrambling into Baker's abandoned spot. 'We're on our own out here.'

'Anderson's got a plan. We need to give him time.' Knight replied, dropping back when his rifle jammed. 'Here Horne, get that unblocked. I'll use yours for now.'

'Yes, Sir!' Horne nodded, accepting the malfunctioning rifle and working to get it freed up again.

Popping up again, Libby grinned at the sight of two GI's making their way down towards the now silent machine gun nest that had been giving them such a hard time. Then up stood one with a collapsible launcher, taking aim on something hidden from her view down among the shrubs. A white tail of smoke and the sky lit up like the Fourth of July - direct hit to the stockpiled ammo down there.

'Oh yeah! Now that's the way it's done!' she cheered, scanning the area slowly and looking for anyone left alive down there.

'Let's go see what's left for the rest of us.' Knight added, getting up and heading for the track leading down into the burning NVA HQ.

'Captain, you're hit.' Champion called, pointing to the blood on his shirt.

'Well, would ya look at that. Didn't even notice the hit.' Aloysius grinned, allowing her to bind the wound until later. 'I think we found our new team medic, been wonderin' who might stick out for the spot. Looks like you're our medic, Veronique.'

'Thank you, Sir.' she nodded, getting up and looking around for a moment. 'Should I go assist Randy with Lawrence?'

'I think that would be a good idea.' Aloysius directed, moving aside for her.

Finding a smile when Rusty led the rest of the men into the burned out NVA hiding spot, Aloysius looked around slowly. All in all, Aloysius was pleased with the way his men had handled the mission, they had a few dead but Lawrence was still alive and they'd captured four prisoners along with a truckload of Intel and things for Division to take a look at.

'Looks like you had a rough day, Aloysius.' Rusty remarked, resting one hand on his shoulder.

'Nah, it's a minor wound. Didn't even realise I'd been hit until Corporal Champion mentioned I had blood on my shirt.' Aloysius shrugged, pulling on his shirt and standing. 'But I won't steal the thunder from Zeke and Myron, they deserve the glory of this one.'

'Generous in all things.' Rusty grinned, clapping Aloysius on the back and wandering over to hear the full report on what had been found.

Taking a few minutes to speak to each of his men in turn, Aloysius felt the stress of the day lifting off his shoulders. It was a nice change to just talk to the men, listening to their concerns and doing what he could to make things better for them.

'Look out!' Horne screamed, sending the men scattering as a gunshot ripped across the clearing.

'Get down!' Aloysius snapped, tackling Baker off the drum he was sitting on.

'Stay down!' Rusty echoed, slamming into the mud beside Goldman and Anderson.

Showing courage that no one thought he had, Horne tackled the lone gunman, driving him to the ground and away from the gathered Companies hugging the ground nearby. Rolling over and back again, Horne tried to get the weapon away from the lone NVA soldier but he wasn't going to give it up so easily.

Getting up, Huguenot watched the fight with a mixture of fear and interest. He wouldn't say anything just yet but he rather liked the softly spoken Chicago man. Jean-Claude could respect him for sticking to his beliefs and refusing to fight, even if such a thing was dangerous. But right now, wrestling with that NVA man, Horne was proving that he did care about his fellow soldiers.

'Don't shoot, you'll hit Horne.' Jean-Claude warned, letting his M60's hang and reaching for the Colt .45 on his belt.

Another gunshot and Jean-Claude feared the worst for the young protester. But instead the NVA soldier hit the ground, pistol still in his hand. Panting for breath, still frozen against the steep side of the valley, Horne clutched a bloodied knife in his hand, proof that he could kill if he was pushed into action.

'Leave him, Zeke. I'll talk to him.' Jean-Claude nodded, watching Horne walk away still clutching the knife. 'Right now, he needs a voice of experience and understanding.'

'Alright, I trust you to bring him back to the fold.' Zeke replied, picking up the handgun from the fallen NVA soldier. 'You want this?'

'Oui, even if Horne doesn't want it, I'll look after it for him.' Jean-Claude sighed, accepting the small pistol and tucking it through his belt.

Jean-Claude caught up with Horne on the edge of the group and curled one hand over his shoulder, bringing the young man around to face him. The grief on his face was agonising for Jean-Claude, he hated to see anyone suffering, much less anyone that he considered a friend.

'Are you alright, Roger?' Jean-Claude asked, looking down at him with nothing but compassion in his dark eyes.

'I killed. I killed him.' Horne uttered, devastated by his actions even though he knew it made sense.

'Oui, you killed a man but at the same time, you protected those around you. That's what you're supposed to do, whether you call out a warning for someone else to deal with or you have to make the choice to kill to protect someone.' Jean-Claude soothed, leading Horne over to sit on a barrel that had fallen over. 'I know you are against this war, Roger. Few that are here want anything to do with this war but we are here and we must work together if we are ever going to make it home.'

'This war is wrong.' Horne sighed, looking at the knife he was still holding.

'I do not disagree with your feelings on this war. My people tried years ago to take over Vietnam and run it as one of their colonies. We do not belong here but now that we are in this forsaken place, we must do all that we can to stay alive.' Jean-Claude coaxed, reaching out to take the knife.

'I won't fight, I don't believe in fighting.' Horne reiterated, tears falling unchecked as he stared down at the dusty ground.

Watching from a distance, Aloysius sighed and tapped Rusty on the shoulder, motioning for him to follow. They didn't go far from the men, just far enough that they could talk in privacy without losing sight of their men.

'Remember that thing we were discussing back at Ladybird?' Aloysius asked, lighting up a cigarette and looking around.

'About getting a few old hands to help you with Delta.' Rusty nodded, accepting a cigarette. 'I've got a few in mind but I'm not sure how they'll take the change.'

'I'd like to request Bravo to fill the spaces. I'll even take Horne off your hands, I've got a feeling Huguenot will get through to him about his pacifist ways and the danger that involves.' Aloysius offered, glancing over to where Huguenot and Horne were talking quietly.

'I only just got Goldman onside, I'd rather not lose him just yet.' Rusty shrugged, looking around again. 'But I can see the sense in what you're getting at.'

'I'm not saying give him the transfer order now. Take a few days to get used to it before you send his men my way but don't leave it too long. You know what Charlie can be like.' Aloysius mused, enjoying the chance to relax for a few moments.

'Give him a couple of days to settle into life at Ladybird, then I'll drop the bombshell.' Rusty promised, resting one hand on Aloysius' shoulder.


	2. Ch 2 - After Dark Secrets

Another day done, the might guards were in position and the firebase was quiet, waiting for Charlie to come visiting again. The two Captains had already done their final round for the night, making sure everyone was tucked up in their cots, fast asleep. Their duties done unless Charlie turned up for another night, the pair retreated to their tent near the CP bunker to try and relax as they waited for whatever the darkness would bring.

Plopping down on his hard cot shoved up against one wall, Aloysius let his shoulders droop as Rusty unfolded the heavy canvas cover that blocked the door at night. It wasn't much but it was enough to keep Charlie from honing in on them after dark. Running one hand through his overly long hair, Aloysius sighed and worked out of his filthy shirt, tossing it into the pile of laundry in one corner of the bunker.

Dropping onto his own cot, Rusty unlaced his boots and put them in easy reach before peeling off his socks and hanging them up to dry along with a few other mixed pairs. They didn't mind getting their laundry mixed up; they were both pretty much the same size so it didn't really matter. So long as they walked outside wearing the right name on their shirts, they didn't care about the rest.

Leaning back against the sandbag walls of their private space, c-rat can resting on his thigh, Aloysius fished out his cigarettes and lit up, eyes half closed as he relaxed and waited for exhaustion to sweep him away or for Charlie to turn up and ruin a perfectly good night.

'Think it'll be a quiet one tonight?' Rusty asked, busy repacking his pipe as he tried to relax.

'Usually a three day cycle, don't think we're due to be hit until tomorrow.' Aloysius shrugged, listening for any sounds of trouble outside. 'But Charlie ain't known for being constant. He might shake us up tonight but doubt it'll be a big problem.'

'There's somethin' I've been wantin' to talk to ya about, Aloysius.' Rusty sighed, getting up and starting to pace their small tent. 'Somethin' important.'

'Sit down Rusty, you're gettin' me all worked up now.' Aloysius groused, reaching into his footlocker and pulling out a part full scotch bottle.

Grabbing his mess cup and dropping down beside Aloysius, Rusty accepted a generous measure and shuffled back to lean against the wall. For a few minutes they were silent, enjoying the burn of the scotch as they smoked and listened for trouble outside.

'I know ya don't like talkin' about it but if somethin' happens to me, I want ya to keep the men safe. Don't let another Captain get his claws into Ladybird.' Rusty uttered, turning to regard Aloysius through the smoke wafting around them.

'Ya know it ain't my call, Rusty. But considerin' I'm already here and settled in, can't see why command would send in another.' Aloysius sighed, shuffling closer to Rusty. 'They try and I'll send whoever it is scramblin' outta here so fast. Ladybird is my home, ain't gonna let anyone take her away from me now.'

'I was hopin' ya'd say that. At least now I know this place will have a good leader if the worst should happen.' Rusty nodded, pressing up against Aloysius' side. 'I know its bad luck to talk about death but I had to know.'

'It's bad luck to mention it around the men. When it's just us, it's another reality we have to face. Each day brings it thudding back down on us, the men we send out that don't get to come back.' Aloysius whispered, flicking the ash off his cigarette and closing his eyes.

Both men hoped that their teams never found out about this side of their top officers, the quiet contemplations in the dark when two war hardened bodies pressed closer than they should have. Always tense for when Charlie might interrupt them but desperate for even a few moments to forget their daily struggles and turmoil. But some nights, when the agonising loneliness got to be too much, these two highly respected officers ended up in a situation they could never explain to their men, no matter how hard they tried. So they were careful, picking their nights and hoping nothing went wrong.

Moving closer, eliminating the distance between them, Rusty let his chin rest on Aloysius' shoulder, inhaling the familiar scent of his best friend and fellow Captain. Reaching into his pants pocket, Rusty pulled out the letter he'd gotten that day and dropped it in Aloysius' lap, trusting him to recognise the handwriting and put that together with the signals Rusty was giving him.

'She left you?' Aloysius sighed, picking up the letter and flipping it over.

'Even before you left, it felt like we were strangers.' Rusty nodded, eyes closing slowly as he tried not to think about what else was written in his letter.

'Even if everyone else runs from you, I'll always be here.' Aloysius promised, slipping one arm around Rusty's back and holding him tight.

Reluctant to let Rusty go, Aloysius slid forward on his cot and guided Rusty down behind him as he stretched out and put his ashtray on the table between their cots. Crushing out his cigarette, he took Rusty's pipe and set it in the beaten old stand where it would be safe. Stroking Rusty's arm, Aloysius stood and flicked back the canvas door, listening and watching for any trouble.

Satisfied that everything was okay for now, Aloysius folded the canvas back across the door and padded over to the single lamp sitting on the table, draping his tee shirt over it to darken the tent even more. Moving around the table, he settled back on his cot, resting one hand on Rusty's chest lightly, getting a feel for the situation presented to him.

'Please…need you.' Rusty breathed, desperate to matter to someone for the man he was in the dark, not the leader he always had to be for these men.

'I'm here, just relax.' Aloysius whispered, pulling Rusty's shirt up and off him quickly.

Shifting to straddle Rusty, Aloysius showed the ultimate trust in his companion, removing his glasses and putting them safely out of the way. Like this he was vulnerable but he knew Rusty would never let any harm befall him.

'How do you want it?' Aloysius uttered, leaning in to nip Rusty's ear lightly.

'Fuck me, make me forget about her.' Rusty begged, bucking up against Aloysius.

'I'll take good care of you Rusty.' Aloysius promised, moving up to brush a soft kiss across Rusty's lips. 'Relax, let me take care of everything.'

Anchoring Rusty with each touch, Aloysius took his time with Rusty, working the tension out of him with the ultimate of patience. It was a risk to go slow on base but Aloysius couldn't bear to rush when Rusty was this shaken. Tonight they just had to hope their luck held.

'Don't tease…not tonight.' Rusty gasped, fingers digging into Aloysius' back.

'Whatever you need.' Aloysius nodded, sitting up and looking down at his part time lover.

'Want you…hard and fast.' Rusty choked, trying to get just that little bit closer.

It was rare for him to get this worked up, usually he'd sneak away for a few minutes alone if he needed some relief. His desperation tonight only served to tell Aloysius how hard the last couple of weeks had been for Rusty. He was all worked up and there simply hadn't been time for either of them to hide and relive their tension.

Working them both out of their boxers, Aloysius silenced Rusty with a deep kiss as he lifted up off the older man, giving him space to flip over if he wanted to. The offer was more for his own protection than anything else, Rusty was a biter and Aloysius didn't want to have to explain away any marks he might get.

Breaking away from the kiss, Rusty rolled over and buried his face in Aloysius' pillow, moaning softly at the smell of the one man he could trust completely. His moan went up in pitch as he felt Aloysius stroking one finger over his opening, spreading the oil they kept for these occasions. It felt so good to be treated this way for once, here he was cherished for who he really was, not the officer he had to be every day.

'Oh god.' Rusty gasped, hips rising involuntary as Aloysius slipped one finger in and nailed his prostate with devastating accuracy.

'Just like you wanted.' Aloysius muttered, leaning over and licking the sweat from his neck.

'Fuck yes.' Rusty whimpered, rocking back onto Aloysius' hand.

Two fingers now and Rusty was in heaven, taking a much needed break from the war as Aloysius masterfully played him, working him towards completion. Groaning when the fingers slipped out, Rusty lifted his head to see what Aloysius was doing but the moment Aloysius curled his hands around his hips, Rusty buried his face back in the pillow, waiting for Aloysius to make his move.

One last check to make sure they were safe and Aloysius pressed forward, biting his bottom lip to keep quiet as he eased inside, stroking his sides and letting Rusty know that he was adored. The first thrust was slow and easy, letting them both get used to this again. It had been too long, there hadn't been time for anything the last couple of weeks.

Draping over Rusty's back, Aloysius nipped his ear lightly as he picked up speed, careful not to throw them off the cot as he gave Rusty what he needed. Soft gasps in the night air, bodies in harmony as they thrust towards a much needed release. One hand on Rusty's hip, Aloysius let his right hand slip around to curl over Rusty's erection, stroking in time with his thrusts.

Bracing his hands against the corners of the cot, Rusty held on tight as Aloysius switched up the rhythm again, pounding into him with all his strength. Burying his face into the pillow, trying so hard to not get caught out in such a dangerous situation, Rusty was flying high, swept along on a rush of endorphins.

He hit his peak before he'd even realised he was at the brink. With a hiss and a groan, he came hard, seed splattering onto Aloysius' cot as he sagged into the strength of the one man he could always count on. Drifting now, body relaxed and mind floating somewhere else, Rusty lifted his face out of the pillow and looked back at Aloysius.

Pulling Rusty closer, Aloysius muffled his groan in his back as he released, tension flooding out of him. Panting heavily, he withdrew from Rusty and reached for the discarded tee shirt on the floor. Shaking off the dirt, he wiped them both off before sinking down beside Rusty, chest heaving like he'd run a mile with Charlie on his tail.

Rolling over, Rusty set his head on Aloysius' shoulder and sighed softly, enjoying the closeness after the intimacy. Rarely did they have time to enjoy the post coital haze, there was usually another emergency that needed their attention.

'Feel better now?' Aloysius uttered, reaching up to grab his glasses from where he'd put them.

'Yeah. Thanks.' Rusty nodded, sitting up a little and looking down at Aloysius.

'Don't start that again, Rusty.' Aloysius warned, resting his glasses on his chest for now. 'There's no place for sentiment around here.'

'I know.' Rusty sighed, settling back again and closing his eyes. 'I've said it once, don't need to say it anymore. You know.'

'That I do.' Aloysius nodded, relishing this closeness before they had to get back to work.

Eventually, with extreme reluctance, Rusty sat up and reached for his boxers, shaking the dirt off and taking a quick whiff before tossing them aside and standing. Digging around in his footlocker, he came up with a clean pair and pulled them on, flicking another pair to Aloysius so they were at least semi decent if anyone stuck their head in to tell them of trouble.

Pulling two tee-shirts out of Aloysius' footlocker and tossing one to his friend, Rusty pulled his on and went back to the table, picking up his pipe and grabbing Aloysius' cigarettes from where he'd thrown them earlier.

'I've been thinkin' about your request to take Bravo into Delta.' Rusty sighed, lighting his pipe and settling back again. 'I'll tell Goldman in the mornin', ya need the extra hands.'

'I appreciate that Rusty, eight old hands ain't enough to run a Company. That said, I know Bravo is more cherries than old hands but at least I'll have a few extras.' Aloysius nodded, grabbing his ashtray and tapping out a cigarette.

'Admit it, you just wanted Anderson.' Rusty teased, knocking shoulders with Aloysius.

'He's a bonus. Taylor and Johnson are both pretty good, they'll bring my cherries into line.' Aloysius smirked, tucking one foot up close. 'But just so we're clear, I ain't trading off my better cherries for Bravo. I won't give ya the dregs either, I ain't that cruel.'

'So I get your averages.' Rusty laughed, wondering just how many of Knight's discards he could get his hands on. 'Anderson has to be worth three at least. I'd settle on two each for Johnson and Taylor. Singles for the rest but Goldman deserves something extra. He's a good officer.'

'Safe the bargainin' for tomorrow Rusty. You know Zeke gets a laugh out of watching us trading soldiers to make the best of what we've got. That said, I've got a real talented little medic that might interest you. He's got a real good head on his shoulders.' Aloysius chuckled, slinging one arm around Rusty's shoulders. 'Besides, you know my averages are better than most top cherries.'

'Yeah, you produce good soldiers. Wish I could trade for Riley but he belongs with your team.' Rusty nodded, watching the smoke curl lazily around them.

But as with all good things on the firebase, their pleasant time talking and acting like fools had to come to an end. Crushing out his cigarette, Aloysius stood and stretched, glancing at the stain on his sheets with a faint grin.

'Turnabout is fair play. You get the wet spot this time.' he smirked, grabbing his boots and fatigues and padding over to the other cot.

'Just so long as you don't go out wearing my shirt again.' Rusty teased, catching the shirt that went flying his way.

'It gave the guys a laugh the last time we did that.' Aloysius shrugged, sorting out his gear and bringing the rest of Rusty's uniform over for him.

Uniforms sorted and weapons to hand, the pair settled in for the night, Rusty detouring to pull Aloysius' shirt off the lamp before shutting it off and finding his way back to his cot. Sinking down in the darkness, the pair were at peace, refreshed after a wonderful night together. For now, they could refocus on what had to be done and put their secrets away for a while longer.

'Night Aloysius.' Rusty yawned, snuggling down and smiling at the scent of Aloysius in his nose.

'Night Rusty.' Aloysius replied, rolling over in the dark and putting his glasses up safely. 'Hopefully Charlie leaves us alone tonight.'


	3. Ch 3 - Pushin' Too Hard

They tried to keep the men from hearing their disagreements but everyone on Ladybird knew that the honeymoon between their Captains was well and truly over. Everybody had their stories to tell about hearing their Captains arguing quietly, spitting insults at each other in the bunkers or wherever else they tried to get some distance from their men.

Today was no different, they were arguing about some new firepower they were getting and a mission that Aloysius believed was a suicide run into an empty valley. Rusty disagreed; he was looking forward to going up the Bin Kay valley again. The new flamethrower they had access to was just another added bonus as far as he was concerned.

But despite their arguments, there was still a job to be done so they gathered just outside the base, the Captains bringing up their Lieutenants and best Sergeants to witness the new weapon they were being allowed to use.

'Well, I won't have to trim my nose hairs for a while.' Myron remarked, trying to lighten the strange mood settled over everyone. It partly worked, his fellow Lieutenants and the Sergeants laughed but the Captains were silent.

'The Bin Kay valley's a good place to use it. Supposed to be some tunnels up there, possibly some caves.' Rusty remarked, back turned to Aloysius.

'Isn't that where you got wounded? Buck asked, trying to figure out how to settle this dispute between the ranking officers.

'Yeah. I'm feelin' real sentimental about goin' back.' Rusty nodded, ignoring the disdainful snort from Aloysius. 'Especially with the added firepower. Besides, it'll put on a good show for that reporter who's coming with us.'

'Reporter?' Myron asked, not liking where the conversation just went.

'Coming with us?' Zeke and Mother added, swapping worried looks.

'You guys are gonna look real good on the evening news.' Rusty grinned, turning away from the flamethrower display. 'Come on.'

'Sir…' Jean-Claude started, coming up beside Aloysius.

'Don't say it, Baba. I know this is a bad idea; I've already debated it with Captain Wallace for hours. He's determined to go through with this.' Aloysius sighed, shaking his head in disbelief. 'I've got a few ideas on what to do but we'll just have to see how this plays out.'

Leading his massed group across the base to meet the incoming chopper, Aloysius was already thinking of ways to make this a rough time for the reporter. Whatever they were given, he was going to make damned certain that the reporter and whoever else came along blended in with the rest of the team.

'You're going to let this one go, are you Aloysius?' Rusty asked, coming up beside him.

'Not a chance, Rusty. This is a bad idea and you know it. It's dangerous enough out there without having to carry some fuckin' reporter along for the trip.' Aloysius growled, snugging down his bandana. 'I get that you're under a lot of pressure, we both are but this isn't the answer.'

Listening to Anderson explaining to some of the guys what was going on, Aloysius scowled and watched the chopper, eventuating first the cameraman, a short, Asian looking guy and then the reporter. Things had just gone from bad to worse. Anything would have been better than the shapely young woman that just emerged from the chopper, long red hair tumbling over her bared shoulders and curves shown by a tight black singlet.

'I don't fucking believe this.' Aloysius groaned, shaking his head in disbelief. 'Newman! I'm assigning you to keep an eye on that woman.'

'What'd I do to get the shit detail, Sir?' Mother asked, stung that she'd just been saddled with the damned reporter.

'If I put anyone else on the job, they'll be distracted looking at her tits.' Aloysius shrugged, pointing over to where some of the guys were fawning over the reporter. 'And I know you can keep those knuckleheads focused on combat, not trying to get into her pants.'

'I'm on it, Sir.' Mother nodded, darting forward to stake her claim on guarding and escorting the reporter around Ladybird.

'I'll send Champion and Gant to give you a hand.' Aloysius added, nudging Rusty sharply and pointing towards the CP bunker.

Striding across the dirt, Mother didn't hesitate, taking the box from the younger woman and hoisting it onto her shoulder before leading the pair away from the chopper.

'I'm Sergeant Newman; Captain Knight assigned me to make sure you two are settled in and out of trouble at all times. Let me make this perfectly clear, I don't like you and I don't want you here. But I don't have the power to send you away so I'll do the next best thing. Before you hit the bush with us, you will blend in with the rest of the Company.' Mother briefed, snapping to look when Taylor got too close. 'Back away Taylor. I got orders to keep all men away from her.'

'Just one word Sarge, c'mon.' Taylor tried, reaching out towards the woman.

'You were warned Taylor.' Mother growled, grabbing his wrist and turning sharply. Without any real effort, she threw Taylor over her shoulder and sent him sprawling in the dust beside Baker's feet.

'Was that necessary?' the reporter asked, looking up at her new guard.

'I got orders to keep the men from touchin' ya, that's what I'm gonna do.' Mother shrugged, putting one hand on the woman's back and ushering her away.

Managing to come to a compromise, the two Captains passed the word that this mission up into the Bin Kay valley would be a joint effort, the majority of the troops would come from Delta Company but for now Rusty would assume command. That didn't mean Aloysius was staying out of it, they were both going up into that valley to make sure nothing got out of hand.

Digging deep for patience, Aloysius joined Rusty outside to give a briefing for the camera, a faint smile touching his lips at the sight of his three women standing guard over the reporter, keeping the men well back from her.

'Hi, I'm Vicky Adams and I'm here with Captain Rusty Wallace from the Bravo Company and Captain Aloysius Knight from the Delta Company. We're here to ask them a few questions.' she started, looking down the camera before turning first to Rusty. 'Captain Wallace, can you tell us something about this mission?'

'Intelligence has picked up some NVA movement in the Bin Kay Valley. So we're going to take a mixed Company out and do some recon and maybe grab some prisoners.' Rusty replied, using his rifle to point to the map behind them.

'Well, that doesn't sound like much action.' Vicky replied, still looking up at Rusty.

'Well if that's not exciting enough for you, why don't you call the Marines?' Zeke offered, much to Aloysius' amusement.

'Ooh-rah!' Buck called, earning a few snorts of laughter from the group.

'Well you look like you're pretty good at handling trouble Sergeant.' Vicky continued, turning her attention to Zeke.

'He's one of the best. But he doesn't go looking for it; we're not here to create stories for the press.' Aloysius countered, resting one hand on Zeke's shoulder. 'Ain't that right Sergeant Anderson?'

'Yes Sir.' Zeke nodded, adjusting the way his M16 was hanging.

Feeling a little better about this whole mess now that his men were starting to get with his idea of making it tough on the reporter, Aloysius relaxed a little and shot Rusty a grin, trying to lighten his mood but that was pretty much a lost cause.

'I'm not asking you to create news. I'm just looking for the truth.' Vicky sighed, looking around at the group in front of her.

'Well, we got plenty of that, Ma'am. We got enough of that for you to take some home with you.' Buck replied, leaning on Zeke's shoulder.

'I appreciate that.' Vicky replied, missing Buck's point completely.

'Now don't speak to soon about that.' Zeke warned, shaking his head quickly. 'Permission to check on the troops, Sir?'

'Permission granted.' Aloysius nodded, rolling his eyes behind his glasses at Rusty's frustrated groan. 'Remember Rusty, the troops you want to take out there aren't yours to command anymore.'

'He's quite a guy.' Vicky remarked, still trying to work out why there were two Captains here.

'Probably one of the best Sergeants around.' Aloysius agreed, tapping out a cigarette and lighting up quickly. 'Delta Company is damned lucky to have him.'

'He's very direct.' Vicky continued, uncomfortable but trying to hide it.

'Well we can always count on Sergeant Anderson to speak his mind. Besides that, we've found that being direct can be a very effective tool in the buck.' Myron added, accepting a light from Aloysius.

'Newman, before Miss Adams here leaves the base, I expect her to fit in with the men we're taking out tomorrow. You know what that means.' Aloysius added, slipping away before he could be questioned on the subject. 'We still have to finish going over the patrol route, Rusty.'

'It will be done, Sir.' Mother called, turning to Gant and uttering instructions.

'If you'll excuse me, Ma'am.' Rusty offered, turning and following Aloysius across the base. 'What do you think you're doing?'

'Protecting my men. That reporter stands out like bulls balls, she blends in or she doesn't go out there. I'm only trying to protect you and everyone else that has to go out on a mission with her.' Aloysius shrugged, pushing his temper down again.

Wondering where Rusty had disappeared to, Aloysius stepped out of the CP bunker and thought for a few moments before turning and heading for their tent. Rusty had been off his game for the last couple of weeks, but every time Aloysius tried to get through to him, he was rejected. If they could just sort out their differences, maybe the tense feelings over the base would leave.

Approaching the tent, Aloysius paused at the sight just inside the open flaps. There was Rusty, reading over that damned Dear John letter again. Ever since he'd gotten that letter from his now ex-wife, he'd been on a downer. Aloysius had thought he'd taken the advice given and gotten rid of it but there he was, still tormenting himself with that pain.

Making his choice, Aloysius closed the distance and crouched in front of Rusty, reaching out to rest his hands on Rusty's forearms lightly, giving freely of his support as Rusty tried to work out what to do with his life now.

'Hey now, I thought we agreed that you'd get rid of this letter. Ain't healthy to wallow in it, you gotta move on Rusty. The men need you focused and whole, not torn up about a Dear John letter.' Aloysius coaxed, trying to first get Rusty to look at him.

'That's easy for you to say, you've never gotten one.' Rusty hissed, looking up sharply.

'True, I got something worse from my lady love. I got a Last Will and Testament from her, now that stung. I had a wife and a beautiful baby girl. They died opposing those damned war protestors back in the world.' Aloysius nodded, revealing a part of his story he'd never told anyone here. 'I'd give anythin' to get a Dear John letter from my girl, but I ain't ever gonna get anythin' from her again.'

Rusty was silent, staring at Aloysius in mute shock as he digested what had been said. It still hut that his loving wife had left him and taken their kids away but at least he knew they were all still alive. He didn't have to try and face the reality that they'd died for him.

'Ya gotta let it go, Rusty. Ain't easy losing the woman ya love, I know that but ya can't risk bein' distracted out here. We need you thinkin' about the dangers out in the bush, not mournin' for this woman that never deserved ya.' Aloysius continued, trying so hard to get Rusty refocused on the troubles ahead and not on the problems back in the world.

'Got your lighter there?' Rusty asked, finding the barest trace of a smile again.

Moving to sit beside Rusty, Aloysius put one hand on his back even as he pulled out his Zippo and sparked it to life. Offering freely of his support and a friendly shoulder to lean on, Aloysius reached across and set the corner of the letter on fire, watching the flames licking over the words in perfect lines, curling hatred and anger with every blue mark.

'Let me be the one you call. If you jump I'll break your fall. Lift you up and fly away with you into the night. If you need to fall apart. I can mend a broken heart. If you need to crash then crash and burn. You're not alone.' Aloysius uttered, resting his chin on Rusty's shoulder lightly.

'I'm callin', Aloysius.' Rusty whispered, struggling to keep from completely falling apart.

'I'm here, I've got ya. Let it out man, I'll be here for ya through everythin'.' Aloysius promised, rubbing his back lightly. 'Let it out, ya can't keep going like this.'

Giving up caring what people thought of him, Rusty sagged into Aloysius' strength, finally allowing himself a chance to grieve for the relationship he'd lost. He wept for his children, two young boys that would never know their father, only the man their mother remarried to provide for them all. Hot tears fell for the woman he'd loved and tried so hard to keep even when he knew it was all for nothing. For the first time since he'd gotten caught up in this war, Rusty let his pain and grief show, unable to hide it from the men any longer.

Ignoring the world going on around them, Aloysius just held him tight and let him mourn for what he'd lost, trying not to think about his dearest Mel and their daughter Christine. He missed them so much but he couldn't afford to think about them, he had to stay in the present and focus on his men. He trusted in Mother to keep the reporter away from them and allow them a change to patch up their differences before getting back to the war.

'That's it Rusty, let it out. I'm here, I've got you man.' Aloysius whispered, rocking slowly as he sat there and anchored his friend against his pain and torment.

Remembering what Captain Knight had asked of them, the three women of Delta Company hustled Vicky into their private tent and secured the flaps, confident that the men wouldn't dare come in here. They'd all tried it in the past and wound up facing one very pissed off Mother on a rampage. Now they knew better than to try and sneak peaks at the women sharing their base.

'Okay Vicky, this is the way it's going to be. Captain Knight wants you to blend in with the rest of us bush rats. So that means a change of clothes, a haircut and a roll in the mud to dirty up a bit. You're too clean, smell way too nice and that hair is a dead giveaway for a womanly presence.' Newman briefed, adjusting her bandana quickly.

'Now hang on a minute. I didn't…'

'Don't matter what you agreed to, Vicky. Around these parts, what Captain Knight says is law. You blend in or you go home without your story. We gotta do it, I ain't looked like a proper lady in months so you can make the sacrifice for a couple days.' Gant cut her off, running one hand through her close cropped blonde hair.

'You are a distraction to the men as you are. Distracted men are dead men, surely you do not want that on your conscience.' Champion added, tossing Vicky a different set of fatigues. 'Know this, Miss Adams. If any man dies out on the mission tomorrow, Captain Knight will hold you responsible for it. Push him too far and he will either shoot you himself or have you sent straight back home without your film.'

Catching the dirty, smelly fatigues, Vicky knew she didn't have a lot of choice. These three women clearly meant business and she already figured that for any woman to survive out here surrounded by so many men, they had to blend in with the rest. With no privacy to be had, she turned her back on the three women and undressed, throwing her issued fatigues onto the nearest cot.

'Obviously we aren't going to give you a weapon, but we'll do everything else we can to make you fit in with the rest. It would be helpful if you at least carried an ammo bandolier, just in case we get into big trouble out there. Nothing that you can do any harm with, just magazines for the guys around you.' Gant continued, her voice taking on a hard edge.

'While we're out there, you keep your mouth shut about the mission and don't get involved in any discussions about what we're doing out there. The Captains know what they're doing, they don't need civilian thoughts.' Champion sighed, rattling around behind Vicky.

'These should be about your size. If not, we'll just pack them out a bit and make it work. Supplies are limited, you've got to make do with what's available.' Newman shrugged, a heavy pair of combat boots landing beside her feet.

Dressed the part, Vicky sat and changed her footwear as Gant brushed out her hair and then started to cut most of the length off, letting the excess fall to the ground around the chair. With the majority of it cut off with scissors, she went in with the clippers, cutting it back to regulation length and making sure Vicky wouldn't be an obvious target for Charlie.

'Out with the earrings too, they catch the light. You'll notice that any metal on our gear is dulled and matte, helps to hide any reflections that might tell Victor Charles where we're hiding.' Newman instructed, holding out her hand for the shining gold hoops. 'Don't worry, we'll cache them in here until we get back. The men know better than to step foot into female territory without permission.'

Hair cut and smelling like a week old pile of garbage, Vicky stood and accepted the combat webbing Champion was holding out. Shouldering into it and buckling it up, she watched as the women packed it with bots of rags and whatever else they could find to shape out the pouches and pockets of the webbing.

'Well, it ain't perfect but it's the best we're gonna get.' Newman shrugged, adjusting the way the webbing was sitting.

'This should make it look better.' Champion nodded, handing over a dinged and worn helmet.

'We still need to do something about the smell. I still smell perfume.' Gant sighed, sniffing Vicky closely. 'And if I can smell it, Charlie is going to smell it even easier.'

Grabbing weapons and webbing, the three warrior women escorted Vicky out of their tent and across the base, warning the guys away from their charge with dark looks.

'Oh man, what'd you do to Miss Vicky?' Ruiz asked, staring in disbelief at the sight of the beautiful reporter looking so Butch and ready for war.

'Captain's orders, Ru. He wanted her to blend in so that's what we're doing. Just got to get rid of the perfume smell and she'll be ready to go.' Gant shrugged, shooting him a soft smile. 'Though if you're a good boy, I'm sure we can find a trinket to always remind you of her visit.'

'I'll be a good boy.' Ruiz nodded, turning and jogging off to make his final preparations for tomorrow. 'I'll tell the other to be good too.'

'Men, so obvious to read.' Champion smirked, glancing back towards their tent. 'I think I know the perfect thing for the guys. I'll be in our tent.'

Leaving the flap open so she had enough light to make this work, Veronique gathered up all the cut hair on the ground, shaking out the dust and setting it out on her cot. Gathering up small locks, she groomed it with her fingers and tied them into loops with short lengths of green cotton, making dozens of bundles from the removed red curls. These she carefully tucked into one of her pouches, ready to reward the men that behaved nicely around Vicky until she was sent back.

With the next morning came the real fun as everyone made final preparations for the mission up into the Bin Kay valley. Vicky fit right in with the rest of the team, smelling like something a dog would refuse to roll in and looking just like the other women on the base. The men were still trying to impress her but they weren't trying to get quite so close anymore. Word of gifts for those that behaved nicely had spread and they were all hoping to be one of the lucky ones.

Emerging from their tent, laughing and joking around like they used to, both Captains stopped short at the sight of Vicky and her female protectors. It was damned hard to tell the reporter from the grunts, so perfect was the deception.

'You really outdid yourself this time, Sergeant. Ain't no one gonna know she's a civilian lookin' like that.' Aloysius praised, his smile growing as the women removed their helmets. 'Complete with a haircut, I didn't think you'd pull it off.'

'We've got a good use for the hair too, Sir.' Veronique grinned, patting one of her pouches. 'If the men are good and behave towards Vicky, they get one of these. A genuine lock of her hair.'

'That explains why they're all getting cleaned up and trying to look their best. It's not just for the camera, they want their prizes.' Rusty chuckled, looking over to where some of the men were going through their morning routines.

'That don't count, Sir. The prizes are for those that treat her with respect and act like she's just one of the guys. All that fuss makes her stand out.' Libby shrugged, shaking her head in wonder at the antics of the men. 'Ru, you ain't gonna win a prize actin' like that. Ya don't get all prettied up just 'cause we got cherries on base.'

'You're gonna steal Anderson's thunder if you keep droppin' hints, Chickadee.' Mother laughed, leading the group away. 'Sirs.'

'This should be interesting.' Aloysius uttered, clapping Rusty on the shoulder as they wandered away in the other direction.

Glad that the tension was gone from between them, Aloysius rested one hand on Rusty's shoulder as the five top officers on the mission went over the map of their chosen route. This really wasn't much different to any other mission, except for the fact Rusty was coming out with them. Two platoons of Delta men with one from Bravo made for an interesting combination but it gave both Captains a reason to go out with the Company.

'These are the young men of the first platoon of the Delta Company, preparing to go out on Operation…what are you calling this operation, Captains?'

'Uh…what about Operation Vicky.' Rusty suggested, ignoring the groan from Aloysius.

'Be serious.' Vicky insisted, smiling warmly at the thought even as she flushed red.

'No, he's serious. Operation Vicky it is. Look what you've done for morale, I've never seen these guys looking so good.' Aloysius nodded, deciding not to call Rusty out on that one.

'Alright then, Operation Vicky it is.' she agreed, not quite sure what to make of the choice but she wasn't going to argue with it.

Behind them, Zeke stepped up to review the men in his platoon. He already wasn't looking forward to this one, he could smell how clean his men were and really didn't want to have to find out just how over the top they'd gone. So rather than face them individually, he let them all know they were in big trouble by bringing in two extra Sergeants to help him rip into the platoon.

'Platoon, attention!' Jean-Claude snapped, one M60 resting against his shoulder pointing skyward, the other tucked in against his hip, barrel to the ground.

'Well-well-well, now ain't this sweet Percell. You look as clean as a Mississippi sheriff on election day, dontcha?' Buck called, pacing along with Zeke. 'Hey Cook, you're boots are nice and shiny there. Why don't you go scuff 'em up before Charlie sees us coming a mile away?'

'Did you shave, Ruiz? You did, didn't you? You shaved, didn't you? I thought you didn't shave unless you were going to see mama-san Linda.' Zeke added, putting Ru's helmet on his head. 'What do I smell? What do I smell?'

'I smell aftershave lotion, that's what I smell.' Jean-Claude replied, sniffing the finger he'd wiped over Taylor's cheek.

'Ya'll went and put on aftershave lotion, didn't ya? Didn't ya?' Buck continued, the three Sergeants working in perfect harmony. 'Well now don't get me wrong, now. A handsomer group of fellas never existed. And I'm sure, I'm sure the nice lady there is gonna pass that on to the people back in the world. Ain't ya? Yeah.'

'But we do not go out to fight the enemy in the jungle smelling like a house of ill repute on a Saturday night, no we do not. No, we wanna smell like dirty dogs and water buffalo so that the enemy doesn't get our scent and kill us. So, you got sixty seconds here to go wipe that nice smell off your nice faces and then get your butts back here smelling like the dirty dogs and animals I know and love. Now fall out! Go! Go! Go! Go! Move! Move! Move! Move! Move! Move!' Jean-Claude barked, sending the platoon scrambling to obey the orders. 'Mind you Zeke, it almost looks like you shaved this morning.'

'I make it a habit to shave every mornin' Jean-Claude. Unless we're out in the boonies somewhere but that's a different story.' Zeke shrugged, wiping the sweat from his face. 'I don't like the scruff of not shaving for a few days.'

'This is normal for me, the idea of being clean shaven is foreign.' Jean-Claude grinned, running one hand through his scruffy beard. 'Trimmed yes but shave this off, no way.'

'There's a reason we call him the Barbarian, Sarge.' Veronique laughed, relaxing nearby with the other women.

Leaving the LZ far behind them, the Company spread out along the track, spreading out their officers just in case they walked into trouble. Rifles up, Aloysius and Rusty kept pace with the reporter, answering her questions and opening up about their experiences of the war. Their stories differed but there were some topics that they both understood all too well.

'I guess the hardest part of being a commander is losing people.' Vicky remarked, looking up at them again.

'Someone told me I'd get used to it. No way.' Rusty replied, shaking his head quickly.

'Do the faces blur after a while?' Vicky asked, turning her attention to Aloysius.

'I remember every one of them. Pretty sure Captain Wallace is the same.' Aloysius shrugged, scanning the tree line for a few moments before turning his attention back to her.

'Anyone in particular you'd like to talk about?' Vicky offered, waiting to see which would respond.

'Well there was one guy up in the Ai Shu Valley a few months ago, a real nice kid from Kentucky. A mine took off both his legs. He was so calm about it, he just looked up at me and he said, Sir, I'm gonna die, ain't I?' Rusty sighed, falling back into the memory.

'I guess you have to encourage them.'

'Couldn't do it. Kid had these bright green eyes, they were so clean. They were the kind of eyes you just can't lie to. The Doc offered him some morphine, said here, this way you won't feel anything. But the kid waved him away. He looked up at the sky and he said, it's a beautiful day, Doc. I'd rather die feeling something.' Rusty continued, recalling the moment so easily. 'He was eighteen years-old and he was dead in a minute and a half.'

'you know, it tears you up when you see these brave young kids dying anonymously out here in the middle of nowhere and the people back home just don't seem to give a damn.' Aloysius sighed, giving Rusty his support without making it obvious.

'They've got other concerns about the war.' Vicky nodded, turning to Aloysius in surprise.

'But I wish they could see the kind of sacrifices these kids are makin' and that's what you reporters have to do. You have to take people inside, so they can see and feel what's really goin' on. So that it means somethin'. It's got to mean somethin'. It can't just all be for nothin'.' Aloysius continued, his own frustrations about the war coming out.

A little embarrassed about his outburst, Aloysius picked up the pace a little, leaving Rusty and Vicky staring after him as he moved on up the trail. Rusty caught up to him a few moments later, resting a comforting hand on his shoulder.

'Sometimes I wish I had your gift for words, Aloysius. You nailed what I was thinkin', you knew just what we all think about this damned war and you said it.' Rusty offered, squeezing lightly for a moment before letting his hand fall.

'Rusty, there's somethin' I need to talk to you about. Not out here though, it's too dangerous. Remind me when we get back to base.' Aloysius sighed, sick and tired of the constant lies and misdirections. 'Remind me to tell you about my dream.'

'I'm no head doctor.' Rusty warned but his smile was genuine.

'Don't need a shrink, I need a friend.' Aloysius shrugged, bringing his rifle up again and scanning the tree line. 'I just hope you're still my friend after that discussion.'

'After all we've been through together, I'll always be your friend Aloysius.' Rusty promised, knocking shoulders with him and grinning.

'Think we should tell the people back home how there came to be two Captains on Ladybird?' Aloysius asked, changing the subject quickly.

'Can't hurt, might not make it into her story but she might use it another time.' Rusty nodded, glancing back along the line of men behind them.

'Might be worth holding onto it for now, use it as a distraction when she starts pushing for the wrong sort of story.' Aloysius suggested, rubbing his jaw thoughtfully.

'Sounds like a plan.' Rusty agreed, so very grateful to put their previous discomfort behind them.

When word came back that Johnson had bagged a prisoner, Aloysius tapped Vicky on the shoulder, drawing her attention away from the discussion about the prisoner.

'Something on your mind Captain?' she asked, turning to look up at him.

'I was just thinkin' about what we were talkin' about earlier, Rusty's young kid from Kentucky. You never did ask me about anyone like that.' Aloysius shrugged, working hard to keep his promise to Rusty. 'Thought while we had a few minutes I could tell ya my own story like that.'

'Well alright then Captain.' Vicky nodded, accepting her microphone from her cameraman.

Leading her across the small clearing, Aloysius took a seat on a fallen log, making sure to keep the cameraman turned away from anything that might happen with the prisoner. As much as he hated the story he'd made, it was the only thing he had to offer.

'I guess you're wondering how two Captains came to be assigned the same firebase, it's normally a command for a single Captain. The truth of it is simple, my original Delta Company was almost completely wiped out by the VC. 175 of us went into that valley but only three made it out alive.' Aloysius started, dropping his gaze as he started the same old falsehood all over again.

He told the people back home the same basic story that he'd told Myron on his first day, bounding along in the trucks. He spoke of his frustrations at losing so many young men to an ambush that no one could have known about but he was solely blamed for not escaping with more survivors. He praised the actions of those that did survive that hellhole and mourned for the 172 that he lost out there. He explained the kindness shown by Wallace and his Bravo men, the way they were treated even after the story of the ambush massacre got out. He apologised openly to the families of the 60 men that had already been sent home for burial and promised the families of the 53 still MIA that he would find them, whatever it took.

Pulling out the list he carried at all times, he held it up to the camera and told them the story of the page and all the names that he hoped to cross off and see returned to their families before his time in Vietnam ended. But his highest praise always went to Wallace and his Bravo men for what they did to ensure the legacy of the original Delta Company continued on until all were safely back on American soil.

But the end of the story, Shane and Mother had joined him in front of the camera, the three survivors of a great Company sitting in silent contemplation of the friends they had lost. None of them had any confidence that the people back home would care about the original Delta Company but at least now they knew the story had been passed on and any families of the fallen could see the grief of those that had survived.

'It took a lot of courage to speak of those boys again, Sir.' Mother offered, resting one hand on his shoulder lightly. 'They woulda been proud to be remembered like that.'

'I hope so Sergeant, I really do. It never shoulda happened like that.' Aloysius nodded, shaking his head slowly. 'too many young men are dyin' over here and no one gives a damn.'

'Except us, Sir. We give a damn, we remember them all and that's what really matters. The world can forget them but we never will.' Shane added, offering Aloysius a lit cigarette.

'It don't mean nothin'.' Aloysius sighed, accepting the smoke. 'Didn't think you indulged Lieutenant. You've always been such a health nut.'

'Doesn't mean I won't light one for someone when they need it, Sir.' Shane replied, flashing Aloysius a faint smile. 'You saved my life back then, the least I can offer is a cigarette when you need one.'

Signalling an end to the interview, Aloysius stood as Goldman approached, a worried look on his face. That look was a sure sign that Rusty had just made a poor mistake and now Aloysius had to fix it and fast.

'According to the prisoner we're surrounded by a Battalion of NVA troops. Captain Wallace doesn't believe it but no one wants to take any chances. He's already turned down an extraction for our prisoner, he wants to push on ahead since we haven't been out too long.' Goldman briefed, ignoring Vicky as he looked Aloysius in the eye.

'We never should have brought him out here.' Aloysius uttered, heading back towards the main group. 'Horne, get over here with that radio.'

'Yes Sir.' Horne nodded, hustling over to Aloysius.

'Raven 2, this is Delta 6, do you copy?' Aloysius called, keeping both eyes on the prisoner to be sure he didn't try anything.

"Go ahead Delta 6, this is Raven 2."

'Raven 2, I need a prisoner extract. We have only a small clearing available and possible NVA troops in the vicinity.' Aloysius briefed, trusting in his chosen pilot to get the job done.

"Understood Delta 6. Give me your coordinates and prep for a rope extract."

'Newman, prep our prisoner for a rope extract. Raven 2 will come get him.' Aloysius directed, turning his attention back to the radio as she nodded.

'On it, Sir.' she confirmed, unhooking the rope from her webbing and approaching the prisoner.

Kneeling beside the prisoner, she quickly bound his legs together, trussing him up quickly and securely. Forcing his arms down by his sides, she continued wrapping loops of rope up his body, effectively mummifying the prisoner but without risking his breathing or causing undue stress on his injuries. Flipping him over, she formed several strong loops of rope and left them loose as she secured the rest of the rope work.

By the time she was done, it was abundantly clear that the prisoner wasn't going anywhere and would be quite safe for anyone to transport. Dragging him up and onto her shoulders, she moved into the middle of the clearing and knelt, waiting for the chopper to arrive and whisk him away to Brigade. With this technique, the chopper would be in less danger and they would have this guy off their hands so much faster.

In just a few minutes, the chopper came swooping down over the clearing, rotor wash flattening the grass as it came in nice and low. Getting up, Mother grabbed the rope loops on the back of the prisoner and held them overhead, keeping the ropes steady for the crew chief to hook. Once he got the hook onto the ropes, she let go and hustled back as the prisoner was winched off the ground and lifted towards the chopper even as the chopper headed back towards open sky.

"Delta 6, this is Raven 2. We are clear of your AO. No trouble to report."

'Acknowledged Raven 2. Delta 6 out.' Aloysius nodded, hanging the handset back on Horne's webbing. 'You just have to know the right pilot to call, Rusty.'

'And just who is this Raven 2?' Rusty asked, amazed by Aloysius' quick extraction trick.

'No idea, found out about him a while back when we had to rescue a real sick baby from a ville. He came swooping in and snagged mother and baby along with a guard team out of the middle of the ville without hurting anyone or damaging anything. Been my go to guy ever since every time I need something a little different.' Aloysius shrugged, crushing out his cigarette and tucking the butt in his pocket. 'Let's move out.'

Getting just a little annoyed with Rusty's bull-headed attitude again, Aloysius handed his rifle to Rufus and came up behind Rusty once they were out into the middle of a thigh-deep river. Putting one foot out, Aloysius tangled Rusty's ankles up and dumped him into the water, much to the amusement of the other officers.

Coughing and spluttering, Rusty came up again and glared at Aloysius as he tipped his rifle over to drain the water out of the barrel. Pissed as hell now, Rusty opened his mouth to give Aloysius a piece of his mind but Aloysius was faster, shoving him under the water again. But this time Rusty was ready and grabbed hold of Aloysius, pulling him under as well.

Coming up and shaking the water out of their eyes, Aloysius kept a firm grip on Rusty's shirt, ready to dunk him again if it was necessary. It was worth making a bit of noise to get through to Rusty about his clouded judgement at the moment.

'You cooled off yet or do I have to put you under again?' Aloysius growled, getting right into Rusty's space. 'You've made this fuckin' war personal. The only thing that will get you is a fuckin' body bag. Now knock it off before I knock some real sense into ya.'

'Take your hands off me, Aloysius.' Rusty snarled, shoving back against Aloysius' grip.

'I really thought we were past all this.' Aloysius sighed, spinning and shoving Rusty under the water again. 'Lieutenants, set up a perimeter. This might take a little while. And for gods' sake, make sure that reporter ain't flimin' this.'

Hauling Rusty up again, Aloysius held tight and got back into Rusty's personal space, waiting for his friend to get his breath back before they started another argument.

'I get that you're pissed at Charlie for puttin' ya in the hospital, I really do. But you're going about this the wrong way. What if that dink ain't bullshittin' us, what if you are leadin' us right into a Battalion of NVA assholes? I will not stand by and watch another Company be destroyed if I can do anythin' to stop it. I ain't above called Raven 2 in here to extract you so I can finish this without it turnin' into a bloodbath but I'd rather do this with you.' Aloysius sighed, relaxing his grip a little more. 'Now c'mon Rusty, you have to stop making this so fuckin' personal.'

'Alright, you made your point.' Rusty nodded, breaking Knight's grip and straightening his shirt. 'I guess I have been a little off my game today. I just…the pressure is on. From Brigade, from Battalion, you name it and it's heavy.'

'You think I don't know that, Rusty. I wear the same badge on my collar as you do. I know how heavy the pressure is, I deal with the same trouble every day from higher up the chain. I know how tough it is, I live the same hell as you every day. But ya don't see me doin' anythin' stupid, at least not as stupid as you are walkin' in here without any idea of what might be ahead. Now slow down, stop acting like a jackass and do what you're meant to be doin'. I can't hold this mixed Company together without ya and I sure as hell can't run Ladybird if you get your fool head blown off.' Aloysius ranted, careful to keep his voice down when all he wanted to do was scream in frustration.

'You think we shouldn't be out here?' Rusty asked, dropping his gaze.

'I didn't say that. I just think we need to slow down and make sure we know what we're gettin' into as we move further up this valley. Stop lettin' that damned reporter make decisions for you, you're the leader here so act like it.' Aloysius replied, really wishing that they were somewhere else having this conversation. 'I've already told Sergeant Newman off for not makin' sure that woman keeps her mouth shut about tactics and operational manoeuvres, now I'm givin' you the same warnin'. This ain't her war, she'll go home to her safe office and we'll still be stuck in this hellhole riskin' our lives every day. You need to grow a pair, man up and lead.'

Eyes widening as Aloysius gave him both barrels, Rusty knew he'd crossed a line with his friend. Aloysius was usually pretty content to play second fiddle, trusting in his leadership but lately Rusty hadn't been really giving Aloysius any reason to trust in him. It was little wonder Aloysius was pissed, Rusty was supposed to be the senior officer but over the last couple of weeks he'd been no better than a green Lieutenant.

'You're right, I screwed up big time here Aloysius. I'm supposed to be looking out for you after the kick in the guts you got but instead I'm wallowing in my own frustrations again. I'm trying so hard to get Brigade off my back that I keep forgetting I've got you around to help when I need a shoulder to lean on.' Rusty nodded, hanging his head. 'Can you forgive an old fool?'

'I blame that letter, you've been on a downward spiral since you got it. Now come on, let's get out of here before Charlie comes to investigate all the splashing around. But make no mistake Rusty, you start getting distracted again and I will have you extracted.' Aloysius nodded, curling one hand around the back of Rusty's neck. 'I won't let you destroy Bravo like Delta was destroyed.'

'Let's do this.' Rusty grinned, draining his rifle again and heading for the bank. 'Where's your weapon? Don't tell me you lost it in the river.'

'Nah, gave it to Rufus before I went after you.' Aloysius replied, reaching the bank and accepting a hand out of the water. 'Merci Baba.'

Settling beside a stream for some lunch and to fill their canteens, the Company was at peace, keeping their voices down as they got into their c-rats and tried not to taste the food. As per normal, the group broke into their usual little groups, with a few exceptions. The women stayed around Vicky, making sure she was secure as the rest of the team split by ranks.

Perched on a rock with the other Lieutenants, Shane made the strangest sound, something between a howl and a hiss as he shot off the rock and bolted into the nearest bushes, but not before stealing the bug juice from Myron's helmet band.

'What the hell?' Myron asked, rather shocked by the sudden noise and movement.

'Best guess, he got a leech.' Rufus shrugged, rolling up the legs of his pants and dealing with two leeches that had latched onto him.

'Yeah but that noise?' Myron continued, slipping down behind the rock to work his pants down and get at a leech on his thigh.

'You gotta remember Myron, Shane's shorter than the average. You got wet to the thighs, he went in to the belt.' Rufus replied, dropping his pants to get one on the back of his knee.

'Be glad you're taller, leeches in the groin ain't fun.' Shane groused, returning to the group and settling again. 'As for that noise, you just try to guess what a leech on your dick feels like.'

'No wonder you squawked.' Rufus winced, pulling his pants up and returning to his meal.

Watching out for the Company as he ate, Jean-Claude kept a track of just who went darting into the bushes to deal with leeches and made rough guesses of how many they found judging by how long they were gone for. Zeke had to made a run for it, grabbing bug juice from Buck on the way out. Then Baker disappeared, dropping out of sight behind some shrubs. Most of the guys dealt with them where they were sitting but those that ran likely had them in embarrassing places.

Looking around again, Jean-Claude caught Aloysius rucking up his shirts, revealing a nice little collection of leeches on his back. Rusty was right there to deal with it though, grabbing his own bug juice and working from the top down. Rusty squeaked a few moments later and fled into the bushes, the sound of gear hitting the ground reaching Jean-Claude's ears.

'You don't seem troubled by leeches, Sergeant.' Vicky noted, her bright eyes turning his way.

'They do not like my blood.' Jean-Claude shrugged, turning his attention back to his meal. 'Though you should check your legs Madam, just to be certain. People do not always feel the bite of the leech but they could be there.'

'He has a point, Vicky.' Libby nodded, rolling up her pants and checking. 'Like that one, didn't even know it was there until I just saw it.'

Emerging from the bushes again, Zeke flicked a leech back into the water and returned to his spot, handing Buck his bug juice and picking up his lunch can.

'Bad spot for a bite, hey Zeke?' Buck asked, dealing with one on his thigh and pulling up his pants.

'Right up in the groin. I hate the suckers that get up in there.' Zeke nodded, absently rubbing his inner thigh.

'Think about Lieutenant Schofield, he's so short he got one on his dick.' Buck uttered, careful not to be overheard. 'Pretty sure Captain Wallace got one in an embarrassing place. He squeaked and took off into the bushes so quick you wouldn't believe it.'

'Shh, he's coming back.' Jean-Claude warned, spotting Rusty emerging from the greenery.

'Bad bite, Sir?' Zeke asked, rubbing his inner thigh lightly.

'Only slightly worse than yours, if your hand is anything to go by Sergeant.' Rusty nodded, picking his way past the group. 'Right in the crack, hard to get at and impossible to ignore.'

'Ouch, you got unlucky with that one Sir.' Buck winced, grateful that his bites were all fairly low.

Tucking into her lunch, knowing that time was always short in situations like this, Libby couldn't help but shoot the occasional glance over to where Shane was sitting, so close and yet completely out of her reach.

'What?' Vicky asked, absently rubbing where she'd been bitten by a leech.

'Look at yourself. Eating ham and limas out of a can, covered with leeches. Why you putting yourself through this jive?' Ruiz asked, unable to help staring at Vicky.

'It's part of my career.' Vicky replied, pulling her borrowed shirt on properly.

'Girl, you're too beautiful to have a career. You should be holed up in some mansion, bringing beautiful little babies into the world. Or at least working behind a desk.' Ruiz continued, his words a little chauvinistic but his friends got what he was trying to say.

'What if I don't want that?' Vicky laughed, running one hand through her short hair.

'Then you oughta have your head examined.' Taylor replied, adjusting his helmet.

'The world is changing guys. A lotta women don't wanna sit around the house anymore. There's plenty of things we can do without being dependant on men.' Vicky replied, looking to the three other women with them as proof of her words.

'Fine, if a woman don't wanna work, that's cool with me. Then I'll sit home and eat bonbons and watch soap operas all day.' Taylor countered, pushing his helmet up again.

'Yeah, you know I could see you barefoot and pregnant too.' Ruiz teased, earning a few quiet giggles from his friends.

'Yeah, well I don't that's quite what the women have in mind.' Vicky countered, getting to her feet.

'Hey, wait. Where's are you going?' Taylor asked, worried for her safety.

'To answer a rather pressing call of nature.' Vicky replied, gaining her feet on the slippery rocks.

'Yeah but you can't go out in the jungle all by yourself.' Taylor shrugged, trying for the opening.

'Well you wanna hold my hand?' Vicky asked, stepping towards him.

'I do.' Ruiz replied, offering his hand to her.

'You are.' she laughed, stepping between the pair.

'I've got this.' Veronique sighed, getting up and following Vicky out of sight.

Wandering away from the men as they relaxed fir a few precious minutes, Aloysius bit back a groan at the sight of one of his men clowning around, climbing up one of the coconut trees around the area. That was an open invitation for Charlie to take a pot shot and Aloysius hoped to avoid getting the death of any man caught on film.

'What are you doing man? You trying to sneak a peek at her or what?' Matsuda asked, looking up at Cook up the tree.

'Do I look that crude to you, Doc? I'm just up here to get the coconuts is all.' Cook replied, hugging the trunk tightly.

'You are coconuts.' Matsuda replied, amused by the situation but he also knew Cook was in big trouble with the Captain for this stunt.

'No, you're getting down out of that tree right now, Cook. Before Charlie puts a bullet in your unprotected head.' Aloysius ordered, warning Vicky to stay quiet with a hard glare. 'Right now soldier, there are easier ways to get the damned coconuts down.'

'Yes Sir.' Cook nodded, relaxing his grip and sliding down the tree again.

'Lieutenant Schofield, think you can get down a couple of them coconuts without letting Charlie know we're here or showing us all in coconut milk?' Aloysius asked, grabbing Cook's arm as he went to pass. 'We will discuss this back at base, Private.'

'Well Sir, it depends on how many coconuts you want down. Avoiding the shower shouldn't be too hard, it's the numbers that might cause a problem.' Shane nodded, stepping forward and looking up the tree. 'With Sergeants Newman and Riley and Corporal Gant to assist, I don't see any reason why we can't strip this tree of coconuts.'

'Go to it Lieutenant, we can always make the extras disappear.' Rusty nodded, seeing where Aloysius was going with this idea.

'I love coconut milk.' Vicky smiled, coming up beside Aloysius.

'First one goes to Vicky.' Aloysius nodded, releasing his knife and holding it ready.

Taking careful aim on the coconuts above them, Libby fired first, tapping the clamp button just before the head of her Maghook hit the coconut she was aiming at. There was still enough length for her shot to hit the coconut and knock it from the tree but she didn't shatter it into tiny pieces. Darting forward, dodging the falling head of her Maghook, she caught the falling coconut and tossed it to Aloysius before backing up to take aim on another.

Catching the coconut with one hand, Aloysius held it steady and cut it open, bouncing the coconut around in his hand to make it as neat as he could. Turning the knife in his hand, he carved two holes in opposite sides of the point he'd carved into the coconut. Making sure that the holes were clear, he handed it to Vicky, returning her smile as she tasted the milk inside.

'So who else wants one?' Shane asked, looking back at the Company before lining up a shot.

'yeah, I'll have one LT.' Zeke replied, grinning at the teamwork on display as Mother shot one down and tossed it to Knight.

'I could go for one.' Rusty added, starting to relax a little more as they enjoyed a peaceful moment.

Knocking down another one, Shane was just flicking it towards Aloysius when a lone gunshot rang out, shattering the airborne coconut and sending everyone crashing to the ground.

'Down! Down!' Zeke called, hugging the ground just in case.

'Get down.' Aloysius barked, grabbing Vicky and taking her to the ground.

'Look out! Where is he?' Mother howled, hunkered down behind the coconut tree and listening for the next shot.

'Watch that tree line.' Goldman ordered, returning fire in the direction he thought the enemy was.

'Defensive perimeter!' Rusty snapped, crawling deeper into cover.

'Hold your fire!' Jean-Claude directed, setting up his weapons and trying to find the source of the trouble out there. 'Hold your fire!'

'Anyone hit?' Aloysius asked, rolling off Vicky. 'Everyone okay?'

Getting to his feet as the various leaders within the Company reported back no injuries, Aloysius nodded and glanced over to Rusty, a little surprised to find him so deep in the bushes but he wasn't going to say anything on the matter.

'Okay, now we know for sure Charlie knows we're around so let's di-di on outta here before his poor aim gets any better. Taylor, you're on point. Percell you go with him.' Aloysius ordered, checking to make sure Vicky was okay.

Darting forward when Johnson signalled for the column to stop, the five officers all looked up the hill, just a little surprised by what they'd stumbled upon. By the looks of that, Rusty's gut feeling that they'd find something up here had been right all along.

'What have you got, Sirs?' Mother asked, crouching at the back of the huddle.

'Think we got us a bunker. Half way up that hill, my 11 o'clock.' Rusty replied, drawing everyone's attention to the bunker.

'Pretty well concealed by vines but it looks big. What do you think?' Aloysius added, hunkered down on the other side of the tree.

'Well, it could be a storage space.' Myron suggested, peering over Rusty's shoulder.

'Yeah, it could be a hiding place for a platoon of well fed infantry too.' Shane countered, not sure why but he had a real bad feeling about this.

'Well let's just lob a couple grenades up there. I don't like the feel of this.' Rufus considered, crouched down behind Aloysius.

'I don't think it'd do any good from here.' Zeke replied, rising up to look over Rufus' shoulder.

'Yeah, just give the dinks a chance to di-di outta there.' Jean-Claude agreed, shaking his head slowly as he evaluated the bunker.

'I say we move closer, do a more thorough recon.' Rusty nodded, a plan forming in his mind. 'Well?'

'You're the boss.' Zeke replied, not liking this at all but he had to trust in his leaders.

'Yeah. I'll take third squad and I'm gonna flank 'em through those bamboo.' Rusty directed, getting a feel for the situation and hoping he was reading it right.

'I want to go with you.' Vicky added, not wanting to miss any of the action.

'This could get rough.' Aloysius warned, securing his helmet. 'No arguments, Rusty. The Lieutenants can handle the blocking force.'

'Sounds like a plan Aloysius.' Rusty nodded, glad to have his closest friend running this one by his side. 'Third squad, you're with us.'

'Jean-Claude, you stay. The blocking force will need your firepower.' Aloysius ordered, taking off after Rusty and the rest of their chosen Squad.

Weaving away from the main force, Aloysius caught up with Rusty and tapped his helmet, the warning clear to anyone that knew the pair. Grinning for a moment, Rusty secured his helmet, understanding Aloysius' concerns. Something about this mission didn't feel right, there was trouble ahead and no one knew just how bad it might be.

Crossing the creek was the easy bit, Anderson moving up to cover the approach as the rest of the team filed across the slippery rocks, trying to be silent so they didn't bring Charlie down on them. First across the creek, Mother took up a covering position, sweeping the area slowly as she waited for the rest of the column to make their way across.

Every sense on high alert, Aloysius followed Rusty into the bamboo, fully aware of the dangers of having both Captains so close together but he couldn't ignore his instincts. Rusty was in danger and Aloysius was determined to do whatever he could to protect his friend from serous harm. Whatever was coming, Aloysius was going to try his hardest to get Rusty out alive and intact.

Deeper into the bamboo, the tension rocketing up with every step, the squad snaked towards the enemy up on the ridge. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the rest of the squad didn't like seeing both their Captains up the front but there was nothing that anyone could say to split the officers. For now, the squad just had to wait and hope.

Suddenly Rusty went down with a howl of pain, left foot disappearing into a hole in the ground as he went down hard, full stretch into the mud. Aloysius was right there with him, hauling Rusty up into a sitting position and opening fire at the enemy hanging around in the bamboo just off the trail, both of them screaming angrily at the hidden enemy.

Taylor bolted forward when they both went back again, blood oozing from a bullet wound to Rusty's right arm as Aloysius pressed his left hand to a fresh wound low on his right side.

'Sarge!' Taylor called, planting one hand on Aloysius' back. 'We got 'em Sarge.'

'Can you move?' Zeke asked, landing beside Rusty.

'Yeah, I'm good.' Aloysius nodded, getting to his feet again.

'Yeah, yeah. Let's get out of here.' Rusty agreed, biting back another howl of pain as Mother reached into the pit to pull his foot off the stake.

'This way.' Zeke guided, taking the strain and continuing up the trail.

'Satisfied?' Aloysius asked, adjusting his webbing to apply direct pressure to the wound in his side.

'Okay, so this might not have been such a great idea.' Rusty admitted, hobbling along as best he could. 'How're you holdin' up?'

'Just a graze, I'll be fine.' Aloysius shrugged, waving off the help being offered.

Making their way up the slope, they came under fire again, sending the squad diving back into the dirt and leaf litter. Hunkering down behind a tree, Aloysius slapped a fresh magazine in and popped up, hammering away at the NVA troops further up the slope. Right now he didn't care that his brass was raining down on the cameraman, his only concern was protecting his team.

'Are you alright?' Zeke asked, crunched down behind a fallen log as he changed magazines.

'It'll heal.' Rusty nodded, grabbing the field dressing from his helmet band and dressing his arm injury as best he could. 'I knew we'd find something up here.'

'Yeah, ain't we lucky. I suggest we di-di back to the LT.' Zeke replied, looking around at their pinned squad.

'Right.' Rusty agreed, leaning around the tree and opening fire.

'Alright, Taylor leave the blooper! Johnson, Baker, you take these news people, you get outta here.' Zeke called, always thinking of the right order to get the job done.

'No, I'm staying Sergeant.' Vicky replied, refusing to miss this situation.

'No, you ain't. Mother, make sure this woman gets the hell outta here.' Aloysius snapped, grabbing Vicky by the collar and bodily throwing her behind him.

'You got it, Sir.' Mother nodded, scrambling back down the slope a little. 'No point arguin' Vicky, I ain't above draggin' ya outta here.'

'We'll cover.' Rusty added, slapping in a fresh magazine.

'Ready…go!' Aloysius barked, lunging out of his hiding spot and opening fire.

With the deep whump of the blooper echoing up the slope, Taylor tossed the weapon to Zeke and took off down the slope, covering Mother's back as she ran with Vicky tucked against her chest, protecting the smaller woman behind her broad back. The men left behind up the slope could clearly hear Vicky complaining about being dragged away from the action.

Keeping his head down, Aloysius crawled up to join his friends, sidling up beside Rusty in readiness for their run out of this hellhole. Curling up tight, he put his weapon over the log he was sheltering behind and returned fire, trying not to think about the danger and only worrying about getting the hell away from here.

'Now what?' Zeke panted, dropping back behind cover.

'It's just us, Zeke. Mother got rid of Vicky.' Aloysius replied, hissing as another round burned through his skin, this time leaving a deep gash on his right arm.

'Okay, I'll cover. You're both wounded, you gotta get outta here.' Zeke nodded, reloading the blooper beside him. 'Unless you'd rather stay put.'

'Guys, I'm sorry.' Rusty gasped, allowing Aloysius to tighten up the dressing around his arm.

'It don't mean nothin'.' Zeke replied, ready to defend his friends but something was up.

'This mess, it's all my fault.' Rusty continued, needing to get this off his chest even as he bound the wound on Aloysius' arm.

'Oh man, there's plenty of time to patch things up at Ladybird.' Aloysius sighed, patting Rusty's knee lightly as he moved to squeeze up beside them. 'It's alright.'

'I'm gonna take the time now. I just want you both to know.' Rusty gasped, really starting to feel the pain of his injuries now.

'Captains, lets just get outta here.' Zeke insisted, wanting to get clear before they got their fool heads blown off.

'Right man.' Rusty nodded, bracing for what was sure to be an agonising bolt back to the others.

'Go!' Zeke roared, whipping around and opening fire again.

Scrambling up, Aloysius howled as another bullet left a mark on him, ripping out another chunk from his already worn hide. This time it was low on the left side, just above his belt. But even as he stumbled, Rusty went down hard, sprawling in the mud once more.

'Wallace!' Anderson called, whipping around to face them.

'Rusty! C'mon man, don't you give up now.' Aloysius pleaded, scrabbling to get to him. 'Zeke! Cover fire!'

Thinking nothing of his own safety, Aloysius grabbed his friend around the chest, pulling him towards cover further down the slope. It was pretty pathetic cover but the thicket of suckers made it that little harder for Charlie to get them.

'Rusty, c'mon. Talk to me damn you.' Aloysius tried, easing Rusty down and starting to check him for injuries. 'Rusty? Come on, don't die on me Rusty.'

Rolling Rusty over again, Aloysius' face fell at the sight of the growing bloodstain on the back of Rusty's uniform, spreading across his pants and shirt equally. The round had clipped his belt, carving out a half circle of the webbing on the way into Rusty's back.

'Damn it Rusty, talk to me buddy.' Aloysius coaxed, ripping his towel from around his neck and packing it against the wound.

'This is bad…real bad.' Rusty uttered, sounding shocked, confused and more than a little worried.

'Don't scare me like that, I thought you were dead.' Aloysius sighed, easing Rusty over again. 'Just take it easy, you got shot in the back. It's a bad hit but you'll live.'

'Not sure I want to live like this.' Rusty admitted, grabbing hold of Aloysius' shirt. 'I can't feel my legs anymore.'

'Tell me ya jokin', Rusty.' Aloysius almost begged, hand falling to the sweaty, dirty towel he was using as a dressing.

'Not this time.' Rusty sighed, clinging to Aloysius desperately. 'You gotta help me man, I'm screwed like this.'

'Cool it Rusty, I ain't gonna leave ya up here. I'll carry ya to safety, its okay.' Aloysius soothed, holding Rusty close.

'What's the hold up down there?' Zeke called, ducking back again.

'We're moving now, Zeke. Give me cover, I gotta carry Wallace out.' Aloysius replied, easing Rusty off his lap. 'Five to stabilise.'

'On your call.' Zeke confirmed, sending another blooper round up the hill.

'There ain't any easy way to do this Rusty but we gotta try and keep ya back as straight as we can.' Aloysius warned, shouldering their rifles and making sure they were out of the way.

Unhooking his machete from his belt, Aloysius used their webbing to bind the heavy blade to Rusty's back, doing what little he could to protect him from any further injury. Hoping it was enough, Aloysius crouched in front of Rusty, grabbing his thighs as Rusty latched onto his shoulders and held on tight.

'Now!' Aloysius roared, breaking cover and sprinting down the slope as fast as he could whilst still being extremely careful with Rusty.

Absolutely certain he was seeing things, Shane had to do a double take as Aloysius hustled past with Buck and that looked like Rusty on a cobbled together stretcher made from bamboo. Realising that this was real and likely to be a problem, Shane tapped Jean-Claude to cover him and bolted, hustling over to join the Captains.

'Horne, get over here with that radio.' Aloysius hissed, crouching and setting the bamboo stretcher down. 'Get back to your spot, Buck. I'll get someone else to help with the second leg.'

'Yes, Sir.' Buck nodded, darting back towards the blocking force as Horne came over.

'What happened out there?' Shane asked, crouching beside Rusty and looking him over.

'Charlie shot me in the back, right into the spine.' Rusty groaned, fingers curling around Shane's offered hand.

'Ladybird will be a poorer place for your loss, Sir.' Shane offered, squeezing lightly in an attempt to comfort the Captain.

'I appreciate that Lieutenant.' Rusty nodded, letting out a sigh of relief as someone else removed his helmet. 'Thanks Doc.'

'Looks like there ain't much else for me to do here, Sir.' Randy shrugged, securing the helmet to one of the ropes holding Rusty still. 'Unless you're worried about that foot.'

'Not really, can't feel it anymore. Anything below the belt is just excess baggage now.' Rusty sighed, eyes closing slowly. 'I'll be okay, don't worry about me guys.'

'Goldman! McKenzie! Get over here!' Aloysius hissed, turning his attention back to Rusty. 'Raven 2 is inbound to get you outta here Rusty, it's gonna be okay.'

Opening his eyes again, Rusty couldn't help the smile that crossed his face. Hovering over him was the future of his Ladybird, one hell of a determined Captain and his three top Lieutenants. With them in command, Firebase Ladybird would be a shining example of what a firebase could be. The baton had been passed, it was out of his hands now.

'I know Ladybird will be safe with you four, so long as you remember to work together. Goldman, don't try to handle too much at once. Let your friends help with the burden of leadership and don't be afraid to help them when they stumble. McKenzie, you don't have to try and do everything on your own. Trust the Sergeants to keep the men happy and focus on keeping the men alive. Schofield, I know you don't like to tell people what you've endured for your place but the skills you have in your head might save their lives one day. Teach them, encourage them to try and watch them develop.' Rusty guided, looking around at his former Lieutenants and hoping they understood what he was trying to say.

'I understand, Sir. I'll remember that advice.' Myron nodded, resting one hand on Rusty's shoulder.

'We'll miss you, Sir. Ain't gonna be right without ya.' Rufus added, taking Rusty's other hand lightly, hating to say goodbye to the man that had been there for Aloysius when he wasn't.

'I'll do that, Sir. Whatever it takes, I'll teach as many of them as I can.' Shane promised, wishing he could offer more than a promise to teach skills that took his favourite job from him.

'As much as I hate to break this up, we gotta go or we'll miss that bird outta here. You three are in command of the Company until I get back to the firebase.' Aloysius sighed, looking around at his Lieutenants. 'Doc, you think you can do somethin' for this one on my side, it's really burnin' now?'

'You know what he'll say Aloysius. With a wound like that you shouldn't be humpin' me outta here.' Rusty teased, not trying to avoid leaving, just trying to settle the men into the idea of him not being around anymore.

'Yeah, well he'll have plenty of time to berate my choices on the walk to the LZ. Champion is a fine medic but this mess is a little too much for her to handle alone.'

'There ain't much I can do, Sir, except pack another dressing under your belt to catch the blood.' Randy shrugged, tearing open another field dressing and replacing the soaked one Aloysius had shoved over the wound.

'Sir, I'd feel better if you took Percell and Johnson with you, just to cover the bases.' Rufus suggested, working Rusty's pistol free and pressing it into his hand.

'Yeah, just in case Charlie figures out what you're up to.' Shane agreed, wanting to be sure the Captains got away safely. 'And they'll be able to protect Doc on the way back from the LZ.'

'Percell. Johnson. Go with the Captains.' Myron ordered, beating his senior officers to the call.

'Doc, you grab the other end. Let's do this.' Aloysius nodded, noting the weapon in Rusty's hand but saying nothing. 'Look after the men, it's all gonna be okay now.'

'See ya back at Ladybird, Sir. Don't worry about a thing, Captain Wallace, we'll keep the men going. Good luck Sir, we'll see you around sometime.' Shane nodded, scampering back to the line.

'Best of luck, Captain Wallace.' Myron offered, squeezing his shoulder lightly. 'We'll bring the Company home safe, you can count on us.'

'Until we meet again, Sir, best of luck and have a good life.' Rufus grinned, pausing beside Aloysius and giving him a concerned look. 'Don't be gone too long, the men will be worried without at least one Captain on the base.'

'You worry too much Lieutenant. I'll be back before you know it.' Aloysius replied, grabbing the bamboo stretcher and rising. 'Alright, let's move. Doc, grab the other end.'

Shoving al thoughts of their missing officers aside, the rest of the mixed Company pulled together, responding to the combined orders of three Lieutenants that were trying to fill a void that would never be closed completely. All they could do was try their best to keep the men going until Captain Knight came back to take command.

Splitting their line into three sections, forgetting about squads and platoons, the three remaining officers concentrated all efforts on that bunker up the hill, working to suppress the NVA up there without taking too many casualties and still striving to get something worthwhile for Brigade to investigate. There was no way they were going to let Captain Wallace's sacrifice be in vain, not after all of this.

'Hit 'em with a nine.' Shane ordered, ducking back behind a tree and reloading. At his side, Riley leant out from behind the tree and fired a blooper up the slope, falling just short of getting it into the bunker.

'Baker, you try it!' Myron snapped, ducking back as a round or two pinged off the tree he was using for cover. Kneeling at his feet, Baker aimed his blooper and tried for the bunker but he too was caught short, the round exploding just outside the bunker.

'Taylor, go for the blooper!' Rufus instructed, hugging another tree and reloading quickly. Whirling out from behind another tree, Taylor took his shot up the slope, managing to knock a few sandbags loose but missing the target zone.

Bracing his M60's on a fallen tree, Jean-Claude hammered away at the bunker, picking away at the sandbags to open up a bigger target for the grenades being launched from elsewhere in the line. His temper was up, he'd had enough of this mission and the NVA assholes up the slope. Beside him, Champion was busily tending to a long bullet graze down his thigh, another reason for Jean-Claude's bad temper.

Popping up from her hiding place, Libby screamed a Vietnamese obscenity she'd picked up and fired her LAW up the slope, making sure to aim high in hopes of dropping it onto the bunker. She aimed a little too high though, her shot dropping short of the bunker and exploding right in front of the sandbags. Throwing the launcher aside, she swung her 16 up again, working with Taylor to cover their area.

'Almost got it Fox.' he grinned, glancing her direction.

'I'd rather drop short than go over the top.' Libby shrugged, noticing another shot flying over the bunker to explode behind it.

'True that. What'd you yell anyway?' Taylor nodded, stitching his fire across the area.

'Somethin' about matin' with barnyard animals.' Libby smirked, reloading quickly and swinging back out to return fire.

'You gotta teach me that one later.' Taylor insisted, walking his fire across the bunker again.

'Provided we survive this hell.' Libby agreed, dropping to one knee and firing under Taylor's arc.

Sprinting through the trouble, Mother and Zeke dropped down beside Goldman, panting hard and soaked in sweat. They'd laid a few tricks for Charlie in case he tried to flank them via the creek and bamboo but neither knew for sure if their traps would hold the NVA off for long.

'Wallace was right, they're all over the place.' Goldman remarked, pressing up against another tree.

'Yeah, I'm startin' to get ticked off. I'm gonna give 'em the Zeke Anderson touch up close and personal.' Zeke replied, looking to end this fight for Rusty.

'Yo! You with the flame thrower, follow us.' Mother barked, spotting the young kid with the powerful weapon crouched nearby.

'Hang on, I'm going with you.' Goldman insisted, tapping Zeke on the knee.

'LT, it's your Company now. You'd better stay here with the men.' Zeke replied, not sure which Lieutenant the Captains had left in charge but it didn't matter.

'Alright, go. Cover!' Myron agreed, turning his attention back to the bunker up the hill. 'Cover!'

Bolting back through the chaos of the battle, Zeke signalled to Mother quickly, figuring the least he could do right now was make sure Vicky got some very dramatic footage. Nodding sharply, Mother broke off, heading to where she'd left Vicky and her cameraman. Sure enough, the frightened young woman had stayed near Horne, out of the worst of the fighting.

'Come on Vicky, you're about to get the best footage you could want. Right up close as we fry that bunker.' Mother offered, extending her hand to the young redhead.

'Sarge, the Captains are away safely.' Percell reported, coming in from the other direction.

'Good man, Percell. Go tell the LT's.' Mother nodded, clapping him on the back as he passed. 'Doc, Renard could use some help, she's gettin' swamped up there.'

'I'm on it Sarge.' Matsuda replied, hustling past and disappearing into the undergrowth.

'I don't think this is a good idea Sarge, there's been enough American blood spilled here today.' Horne warned, looking up from his rifle quickly.

'I'm a reporter, soldier, and I'm gonna get my story.' Vicky replied, accepting the helping hand up.

'Let's go, this way.' Mother guided, hustling the pair up the slope ahead of her.

Hugging the ground as the gunfire got a little too close for comfort, Randy wound up being in just the right place as Rufus went down, a neat line carved across the outside of his left thigh. Scrambling forward, Randy rolled over him and went for his pouches, ducking down as Rufus half sat up and returned fire despite the bad angle.

'The Captains are clear?' Rufus asked, easing back and reloading yet again.

'Yep, they should be well clear of this area now LT.' Randy nodded, pulling the dressing tight around his leg. 'You be fine, might need a couple stitches back at base but nothin' to worry about.'

'Thanks Doc.' Rufus nodded, rolling them both behind another suitable tree. 'Thought I heard Riley holler before, definitely came from his area.'

Getting up to where this whole day had gone from bad to an absolute nightmare, Mother shoved Vicky and her cameraman behind a tree and hit the ground as gunfire chewed up the ground just in front of them. Further up the slope, Zeke shot off to the side, barely avoiding another bullet wound but the kid with the flamethrower was thrown backwards, dead before he hit the ground.

'Sanders!' Zeke called, flipping over and crawling back to the downed man.

'You two stay here, you should be close enough. So long as you keep most of your body masses behind the trees, you'll be safe.' Mother directed, making her way up to where Zeke was working the flamethrower off Sanders' back.

Helping to get the young man free of the harness, Mother helped Zeke shoulder into the harness before taking off up the hill, nailing anything that moved in front of them. She was pissed now and nothing was going to calm her until that bunker was wiped off the map. Zeke got that, he stayed behind her and let her clear the path so he could heat things up.

Satisfied that things were a little bit safer up this way, Mother turned back and motioned to the civilians waiting just down the slope, pointing them towards another spot that she considered safe. Nodding their understanding, the pair moved up, sheltering behind the indicated tree as the cameraman turned his aim onto the pair and followed them up the hill without moving.

Working together, hauling each other up when they slipped on the leaf litter, the two pissed off Sergeants kept going up, dealing with any enemy troops stupid enough to stick their head up and yet trying not to get noticed by the machine gun team inside the bunker. The last thing they needed was that machine gun turned on them while they were isolated like this.

Getting up level with the bunker, Mother tapped Zeke on the shoulder and kept going, circling around a little bit to make sure the area was clear for him to bring the real pain onto this lot. She was quite willing to go into that bunker and kill the enemy up close and personal but she'd made a promise not to do anything rash so she stayed back.

Waiting for Mother's signal, half hidden behind a tree and resting on the uneven ground, Zeke reached around and turned on the fuel, thinking back to the display at Ladybird and praying he got this right. Spotting Mother's all clear signal, he eased up and crept closer, watching where he put his feet so he didn't inadvertently warn the enemy that they were around.

Getting as close as they dared, recalling what the weapon was capable of, Zeke motioned Mother behind him and set his feet, bracing for the heat of the blast. No remorse, his blood was up and he was beyond ticked off.

'This is for Captain Wallace.' he uttered, squeezing the trigger and sending a great long gout of flames at the enemy bunker. 'Smoke this! Suckers!'

'No one fucks with Delta Company!' Mother roared, resting one hand on Zeke's shoulder even as she scanned the area for trouble.

Only once the bunker was well and truly burning did Zeke ease off the trigger and look up at his friend, a tired little grin on his face.

'Well, I think ya made your point, Zeke.' Mother grinned, patting his shoulder quickly. 'c'mon, let's get back to the LT's.'

'We gotta take Sanders back too.' Zeke nodded, turning away from the burning bunker.

'I'll grab Sanders, you get Vicky and her cameraman.' Mother sighed, picking her way back down the slope again.

Finally making it back to Ladybird, exhausted, worn down and hurting, the mixed Company, now thinking of themselves more as Delta than Bravo, weren't quite sure what to do. They'd lost their Captains, left with nothing but a promise that one would be coming back sometime soon but no one knew quite when that would be. They all mourned for the one that wouldn't be coming back to them, another casualty of a war they didn't believe in.

Looking over their men, lost and confused, the three Lieutenants knew they had to try and buck up their spirits before morale across the base took a dive. They had to believe Aloysius would return, scarred and forever pained by the loss of his friend but still there to lead them through this war. But right now, running Firebase Ladybird fell on their shoulders, they had to be strong and united until they were relieved once more by the return of their Captain.

'Gather around men. Forget about formalities for now, just come and gather.' Rufus called, catching Zeke's eye and somehow managing a tired smile.

Responding to the gentle words, the men came together, forming a half circle in front of their Lieutenants, giving up rank and file to stand shoulder-to-shoulder, weapons hanging loosely, mostly forgotten in their pain and grief.

'LT's, I think the men could use a few words.' Jean-Claude offered, his paired weapons hanging from his shoulders, hands shoved in his pockets for now.

'I wish there was something I could say to make this easier on everybody, make it easier on myself. But a good man is gone from Ladybird, and there's nothing easy about that.' Myron started, resting one hand on Shane's shoulder.

'We've all got memories, that's where this man will always be on Ladybird. I think it might help to remember all the times that Rusty Wallace put himself on the line for us and the guys that came before us.' Shane continued, looking up at Rufus sadly, lost for where to take this idea.

'Remember the Silver Star, Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts. Remember the times that he stuck his neck out for all our personal problems. He was a good soldier and he cared. His place will never be filled but we can make sure his legacy lives on, in each one of us. So long as we remember his sacrifice, Captain Wallace will forever be a part of Ladybird.' Rufus finished, not bothered if the men saw the tears slipping down his cheeks.

'Sirs, do you think Captain Knight will come back? We all know how close he was to Captain Wallace and he did have some nasty lookin' injuries.' Danny asked, wrapping one arm around Veronique's shoulders to comfort her.

'Aloysius gave his word that he would be back, Danny. Might not be for a few days but he will come back to us, even if he has to walk all the way home.' Shane replied, confidant in his words.

'Captain Knight never leaves unfinished business and to him, Ladybird is unfinished business. He'll be back and we owe it to him to be waiting for him when he does return. But for now, we just have to do the best we can until the day when Delta Company is complete again.' Rufus agreed, pushing his exhaustion down deep to comfort his men.

'Go on, go get cleaned up and have something to eat. It's been a long day and we're all exhausted. Captain Wallace is strong, he will endure this and we must also be strong. Go on, you guys have earned some downtime.' Myron offered, glancing up at Rufus. 'I think we can swing it that those who weren't on this mission can handle the night duty on their own.'

'I'd say that's a given.' Rufus nodded, casting his eyes over the men. 'Sergeants, see that the men aren't given too much grief by the Bravo guys for the night.'

Their duties done for now, the Lieutenants turned and walked away, supporting each other as they tried to deal with this new and much heavier burden on their shoulders. It was one thing to lead a platoon of men but to know they had to make all the command decision for Ladybird, it scared them just a little.

'It'll be okay, we can hold this place together for a while. We just have to hope Captain Knight comes home sooner rather than later.' Shane sighed, dragging his ass and he knew it.

'Captain Knight never leaves anything half finished, he will come back. We just have to make sure there's a base for him to come back to.' Rufus nodded, running one hand through his hair.

'We'll have to pack his stuff and get it on the next flight going back, I suppose.' Myron uttered, stepping into their tent. 'But right now, I think we've all earned a stiff drink.'

'Now that I can wholly agree with.' Shane replied, unhooking his mess cup from his webbing and putting it on the desk.

'For sure.' Rufus groaned, plopping onto his cot and setting his mug on the desk with the other two.


	4. Ch 4 - Saying Goodbye

Climbing off the chopper, Aloysius nudged the gunner beside him and together they eased Rusty out of the chopper, setting him down gently on the ground just clear of the rotor wash. Reassuring Rusty with a light hand, Aloysius hustled over to brief the medical team that came running towards them, bringing with them two stretchers.

'What's the situation Captain?' one asked, looking up at him quickly.

'Captain Wallace took a punji to the left foot and he's got a bullet wound to the right shoulder. But the most serious injury is to his back, right on the beltline. As of twenty minutes ago, he reported complete loss of sensation below the impact site.' Aloysius briefed, sheer mental will keeping him on his feet.

'You're not looking so good either, Captain.' the same woman pressed, looking him over quickly.

'Bullet graze high on the right side, another went deep in my right shoulder and a third bullet strike low on my left side. Rusty takes preference, I can hold for a little longer.' Aloysius shrugged, whipping around as Rusty howled in pain. 'Hey! Take it easy on him!'

Ignoring his own injuries again, Aloysius ran back to Rusty's side, pushing the nursing staff back and calming Rusty quickly, apologising with a touch for not taking better care of him. Keeping the medical team back, he released the ropes in order, trying to be gentle and not make this any worse than it was already.

'I don't care about walkin' again, buddy. One more time, I know you can.' Rusty panted; eyes squeezed shut as he tried to get back some control.

'You sure, Rusty?' Aloysius asked, willing to do it but he had to know Rusty understood what he was asking for. 'I probably already made it worse out in the bush.'

'I'd rather end my time in Nam with a friend than complete strangers.' Rusty nodded, latching onto Aloysius' hand and squeezing tight.

'Alright but you know I can't stay and see you off on your way back to the world.' Aloysius grinned, waving off the medical team and shuffling to kneel beside Rusty.

'Wouldn't ask if of you, Aloysius. The men need you; it's your responsibility to get them through this hell now.' Rusty replied, throwing common sense to the wind and getting up onto his elbows.

'And I'll do my best to send as many of them home intact and unharmed as I can. You are a failure of that mission and for that I will be forever regretful.' Aloysius sighed, scooping Rusty into his arms and pushing to his full height.

Finding it hard to be embarrassed about his injuries when he was treated with such care, Rusty held on around Aloysius's shoulders, helmet secured to his webbing and rifle back over his shoulder where it belonged. Right in that moment, he didn't feel like this was the end of his career in the Army, rather it felt more like the other times he'd been wounded.

'Gonna be hard to go back without you, Rusty. I ain't ready to lead alone, I'm freakin' out that I'll end up doin' it again.' Aloysius sighed, glad to see that one of the nurses was getting with the idea and had run ahead to open the doors for them.

'Ain't gonna happen, Aloysius. You've learned a lot in the few months I've been by your side. You can do this; I have confidence in your abilities. Command screwed you over last time around; they sent you into an area that wasn't safe even for a full Company. That ain't your fault, Aloysius.' Rusty offered, looking forward to a chance to rest at last. 'I believe in you, Ladybird couldn't be in better hands with you.'

'At least until command decides to transfer us out. You know I won't stay at the firebase if Delta goes.' Aloysius sighed, entering one of the rooms and approaching an empty bed. 'But I have no doubt that you will remain a part of Delta, no matter where you go.'

'I'm gonna miss you Aloysius. You've been such a great friend.' Rusty uttered, clinging to Aloysius in one final farewell. 'Take care of the guys; they'll need you now more than ever.'

'Ya ain't gettin' rid of me that easily, Rusty. I'm stuck until the Doc patches me up and is satisfied I'm okay.' Aloysius grinned, easing Rusty down and holding him close for a moment. 'I won't let ya go without one last goodbye, stop fussin' about it. Settle back and rest, you've been through enough for today.'

Showing the medical staff a few things about calming shocked and frightened patients, Aloysius demonstrated the right way to handle someone who was fresh from combat with a serious injury. With patience and gentle words, he coaxed Rusty to hand over his rifle and pistol, never pushing for anything, simply giving him time to accept that his time was over.

'It's not much but put this up somewhere on base. At least that way I'll still be with you in some small way.' Rusty offered, releasing his helmet and holding it out.

'The men will appreciate the sign, Rusty. This has left them rattled.' Aloysius nodded, accepting the helmet and fastening it to his belt.

Take care 'we'll take care of you now, Captain.' that same woman was back again, starting to help Rusty shed his filthy uniform. 'I'm Lieutenant Nikki Raines; you're in good hands here.'

'Try not to bite their heads off Rusty. I'm not going anywhere just yet, its okay.' Aloysius grinned, finding it hard to walk away but it had to be done. He couldn't walk beside Rusty anymore.

Back at the firebase, the three Lieutenants were faced with an unenviable task. With their men busy fortifying the base and making sure they were secure against enemy incursions, they were tasked with packing up Captain Wallace's belongings and delivering them back to him in the rear. This was their last chance to say goodbye, a tribute from three young officers to the one that had helped guide their paths.

It didn't matter that Aloysius was technically their Captain; they all had stories of when Rusty had been there to counsel and guide the men. He was there for anyone that came into his command, always willing to offer a shoulder when someone was in need of a friend. From the greenest cherries to veterans of multiple tours, Rusty had been there for all of them.

Entering the tent their Captains had shared, the trio looked around at the personal effects of the two officers, trying to visually separate what belonged to Rusty from Aloysius' gear. Spotting the footlockers lined up side by side, Rufus broke from his friends and crouched in front of the one with Rusty's name and serial number on it, running his fingers over the painted details lightly.

Grabbing the footlocker and standing, Rufus turned and carried it over to one of the cots, easily able to pick Aloysius' space even now. Flipping open the footlocker, he laid out everything that was inside so they could get an understanding of what needed to be found, replaced and then it could all be repacked for transport.

Right at the bottom, sealing in a clear plastic bag of unknown origin, Rusty's dress uniform was pressed and just waiting for another time when it would be needed. Leaving that right where it was, Rufus restacked the medal cases beside the uniform and turned to the piles of stuff around them.

'Okay, I've got two different sizes in pants here in this stack. 44R and 42R…which ones do we want?' Shane sighed, holding up two pairs of neatly folded fatigues pants.

'We pack the 44's.' Rufus replied, busy hunting up Rusty's shaving kit. 'And the larger sized shirts, Aloysius is smaller in the chest too.'

'You know an awful lot about Captain Knight's clothes, Rufus.' Myron remarked, finding the rest of Rusty's combat gear and starting to check for anything dangerous.

'I've been friends with Captain Knight for a long time, Myron.' Rufus shrugged, putting his knowledge of Aloysius to the test to gather the right items from in front of the mirror. 'we first met about ten years ago, I was a green Lieutenant back then, just learning to fly and he was a First Lieutenant just leaving the base for his first real assignment.'

'Oh, so I really am the odd man out.' Myron sighed, starting to sort out the shirts into piles.

'Don't take it personal, Myron. Back when Captain Knight was building the original Delta Company, he handpicked all 174 people for the Company. But ever since the original Company was wiped out, he's had to make do with what he could get. Be proud that you were picked to join Delta, he must see something real special in you. Only the best make it into Delta.' Shane explained, spreading out the folded pants on the empty cot and starting to sort them out.

Finding a minute to himself, Zeke paused and looked up, thoughts turning to the great man that would never again walk the firebase. God, it hurt to think of never seeing Captain Wallace again, he'd become such an integral part of Zeke's life since he'd come to Ladybird. To know he was never coming back, it felt like Zeke had lost part of himself out there.

Leaving the men to their duties, he wandered over to sit on the sandbags near the CP bunker, filthy and covered in sweat but he simply didn't care anymore. He'd spent just about every minute since they'd made it back to base reassuring the men that Captain Knight would come back and Captain Wallace would make a good recovery from his injuries.

What he really needed was for someone to offer him the same kindness, he needed a friend to tell him that everything would be okay. He could always go to one of the LT's with his problem but they were having enough trouble trying to face packing up Rusty's belongings and trying to decide who would take them to the rear.

Elbows resting on his knees, hands hanging limp and his rifle forgotten on his back, Zeke hung his head and sighed heavily, trying to wrap his mind around everything that had happened. The battle for the bunker, the temporary loss of Captain Knight and the permanent loss of Captain Wallace, it all combined to leave him feeling lost and isolated despite being in the middle of a busy camp.

Watching from a distance, Mother could understand Zeke's pain, remembering the life she'd left behind when she'd woken up in Vietnam with a completely different story in her mind. She knew how hard it could be to stand alone with no one to lean on when you were hurting. In this place, she was no higher up the ranks than he was but she had experiences that he could never imagine and so was the perfect one to prop him up until he was ready to face the world again.

Closing the distance quickly, waving the men back to their tasks when they noticed Zeke was struggling, she slung her rifle over her back and dropped down beside him, reaching out to wrap one arm around his back. His distraction showed in that moment, he hadn't even noticed her and jumped at the contact, head snapping up to look at her, fresh tears glistening on his dirty face.

Mother didn't say anything about his state, she just guided him closer and held on tight, giving Zeke the time he so desperately needed to get back on his feet. She might have had a reputation as a hard ass, pushing the men to be the best and accepting no excuses but when her friends were hurting, she couldn't turn away from them.

Sagging into her strength, Zeke stopped caring what people thought of him. He couldn't be the rock for the men all the time, he was only human and sometimes it all got too much for him to bear. Here in Mother's arms, he was safe and protected, the hell of the war couldn't touch him while she was watching his back.

'Let it go, Zeke. I gotcha, its okay now.' Mother uttered, breaking the silence between them.

Finding a quiet corner of the base, Randy sat and looked up at the sky, thoughts a tangled mess in his head. He couldn't help but think that maybe he could have done something more for Captain Wallace, a final effort that might have made things better. No matter what he tried in his mind though, the results were the same. There was nothing he could have done to make things better for Captain Wallace.

Shaking off his thoughts at the sound of someone approaching, he somehow found a smile as Veronique wandered over to him, a pale blue stone hanging high around her neck. He'd seen it before but no one seemed to know what they were all about. There were eight in existence around the camp, worn by those Knight trusted above all others.

Returning the smile, she sank down beside him, dropping her own medical bag to rest against her leg where it was always in easy reach.

'Are you okay, Randy?' she asked, leaning into him just a little.

'I keep wonderin' if there was anythin' else I coulda done for Captain Wallace.' Randy sighed, shifting a little and taking her hand in his own.

'From what I heard, you did all that you could, Randy. Sometimes, there isn't anything that anyone can do.' Veronique offered, squeezing his hand gently. 'We all did everything we could for him.'

'Did we? I can't help but feel like I could have done more.'

'Randy, Captain Wallace sustained a spinal injury. All the medical treatment in the world isn't going to fix that. You did everything that you could to ease his pain and stabilise his injuries but sometimes our best isn't enough. You tried, that's all anyone can ask of you.' Veronique soothed, idly toying with the stone around her neck.

'I still feel like I let the Captain down.' Randy sighed, shaking his head slowly.

'And you will for a time to come but eventually you will come to realise that there was nothing anyone could do for him.' Veronique nodded, leaning over to brush the softest of kisses across his temple. 'For now, I will be around to help you face what you see as a failure.'

Randy had to admit that she had a point, he'd been feeling guilty about not being able to help but he'd seen the hole in Captain Wallace's back and knew it was in a direct line with his spine. There was nothing anyone could do to repair that sort of damage, they could only help him get used to a life without his legs.

'Can I ask you something Veronique?' he grinned, trying to get his mind off their missing Captain.

'Of course, Randy. You may ask me anything you wish.' she nodded, snuggling closer and resting her head on his shoulder.

'What's with the blue stones some of you wear? I have seen one around Sergeant Newman's throat, I know Lieutenant McKenzie has one and you wear the same thing.' Randy shrugged, enjoying the closeness with this French beauty.

'Captain Knight handpicked Delta Company, travelling far and wide to select the very best people he could find to fill the ranks of his special Company. He marked his choices with these stones, placing them over the heads of the people he wanted and pulling them firm to the individuals.' Veronique explained, drawing her hand back and reaching up to loosen the black cord.

Pulling it right out long, she slipped the cord over her head, placing the stone in Randy's hand lightly. It wasn't much to look at really, just a small gradating blue stone with a hole near the top for the cord to run through. The softest sky blue right near the top darkening to a nice ocean blue at the bottom, it was elegance in simplicity.

'But last week Captain Knight made a choice that will change the story of Delta Company forever. There has not yet been time but when he returns, he plans to mark his new Delta people with the same stones, redefining his Company and the men he calls his own.' she continued, taking the stone back and holding it lightly in her palm.

'You're lucky to have an officer like that.' Randy nodded, still admiring the stone.

'Non Randy, we are both lucky to have an officer like Captain Knight. He has already chosen you for Delta, he simply has not had the time to make it official. With this, it becomes official. You are one of us now.' Veronique corrected, slipping the cord over Randy's head and shortening it to sit properly. 'With time the others will be marked as well but you will always be the first new acceptance made official.'

'Thank you.' Randy uttered, tracing his thumb over the stone around his throat.

Wiping the sweat from his face, Jean-Claude straightened from where he was working on restringing the razor wire, he scanned the men around him, making sure that they were holding up okay after the rough couple of days they'd had. For the most they were bouncing back, getting back to their old behaviours as they worked to secure the base.

But in amongst all the normal behaviours, he spotted two that were still down in a slump, barely reacting to the rest of the men around them. He wasn't too concerned about Horne's behaviour, he was always withdrawn and quiet. With time he would come back, still against the war but standing strong beside his friends.

Then there was young Danny, startling blue eyes still haunted and distant. He was pale and shaky, looking around as if trying to reassure his mind that no one else was disappearing on him. This loss of confidence wasn't helping him at all, he needed someone to take him aside and make sure he understood that he would never be without his band of brothers.

'Percell, walk with me will you?' Jean-Claude asked, handing the razor wire off to Buck and motioning for the young man to walk with him.

'Somethin' wrong Sarge?' Danny shrugged, catching up with Jean-Claude, rifle slung casually over his shoulder.

'You seem distracted, anything you wish you speak about?' Jean-Claude pressed, unhooking his canteen and drinking deep.

'I'm okay Sarge.' Danny insisted, missing the point of the question. 'We're all shocked by the loss of Captain Wallace but I'll get through it.'

'Danny, there is no point trying to hide from me, I can see it in your eyes. You are not handling the sudden loss of Captain Wallace at all.' Jean-Claude corrected, turning his dark gaze towards the young man.

'He didn't want to leave us, he kept apologisin' all the while we were headin' for that evac flight. Kept promisin' that he'd find a way to come on back to us, somehow. I wanna believe that he'll be okay but I don't see how he can ever keep that promise, not now that he's paralysed like that.' Danny sighed, hanging his head sadly. 'I gotta believe in somethin' but I just dunno what anymore.'

'You can always believe in brotherhood Danny. Captain Wallace is no longer here but you still have so many friends that are here for you. We can never replace Captain Wallace but we can still give you something to believe in - this band of brothers that makes up Delta Company.' Jean-Claude offered, resting one hand on Danny's shoulder.

'Am I even part of Delta? I don't feel like I belong with you guys any more than I belonged with Bravo.' Danny admitted, looking up at his Sergeant again.

Guiding Danny into the tent and settling on his cot, Jean-Claude patted the spot beside him and smiled as the young man sagged down beside him, waiting for answers in a place that never seemed to have any.

'Danny, you have been a part of Delta from that first moment that Captain Knight granted you a proud smile and put a supportive hand out for you. The second you reached out to take that offered hand, you accepted admission into Delta, becoming part of something truly amazing. As you relaxed into the presence of our mismatched group, laughing with Libby and getting into it with Buck, you settled deeper into Delta, cementing your position among us. Never doubt that you are a part of Delta, you are one of us now and have been since before Captain Knight bartered you from Captain Wallace.' Jean-Claude promised, reaching into one of his pockets.

'It doesn't feel like it sometimes.' Danny shrugged, trying to see the truth in Jean-Claude's words but he still didn't feel like he belonged.

Jumping in shock when Jean-Claude put something over his head, Danny just stared at him in shock as hands that had killed and wielded M60's so easily lightly stroked his skin, tightening the cord around Danny's neck until he could feel something resting comfortably just below the collar of his t-shirt.

'I asked Captain Knight for a spare membership stone, knowing this day would come. He thought I meant it for Roger, he knows I am the reason he still stands with us. But I have known since I first saw you that you would need someone to show you that you are accepted and needed. Our Captain will know this stone you wear, he will see that I have put my own welcome around your shoulders and brought you into our Company fully.' Jean-Claude explained, shifting the crouch in front of Danny, another identical stone just visible under his beard.

'But if this is yours…' Danny started, unable to help but curl his fingers around the smooth stone hanging at his throat.

'Captain Knight retrieved as many stones as he could from the fallen men of Delta, carrying them with him until he found worthy replacements. When I requested a second, he gave me the stone for his first RTO, expecting that Roger would carry his legacy. To anyone else, the white dots along the cords mean nothing but to Captain Knight they are the identities of the first men and women to wear these stones.' Jean-Claude nodded, tipping his head to the side and adjusting the cord at his throat to reveal the white marks.

Humbled by what he'd been given, Danny tucked the stone away under his t-shirt, not wanting to make it obvious that he'd been chosen as something special by someone else. He was a fully fledged part of Delta now and no one could take that from him.

'Non, do not hide this, Danny. You are not the first to be marked as a full member of Delta, Captain Wallace was selected before we even arrived here and I saw Doc wearing one as we were walking this way. Be proud, Daniel Percell, with this at you throat you need never doubt that you are someone special to our unit.' Jean-Claude smiled, fishing the stone out again and letting it hang in clear sight. 'You are important to us, never doubt that.'

'I won't, Sarge.' Danny promised, unable to keep his fingers off the stone now secure around his neck. 'Do you mind if I ask you somethin' Sarge?'

'You may ask me anything, Danny.' Jean-Claude nodded, returning to his cot and waiting for the question, whatever it might be.

'What's your story? I mean, how'd you come to be in this hell? You ain't American, the accent gives it away.' Danny asked, turning to regard Jean-Claude closely.

A little surprised by the question, Jean-Claude stood and motioned for Danny to follow him back outside. The stone presentations were normally done in private but Jean-Claude had no shame in discussing his story in public.

'It is true, I am not American by any stretch of the imagination, but I am on the path to my citizenship. Sergeant Newman and her husband sponsored my move to America, teaching me what I would need to know and helping me to integrate into American society. We met through a joint operation between America and France, sharing ideas and trading tactics. Occasionally I would go with her to the nearby Marine base to watch her training new recruits, learning more about America without seeming to be taking in anything. It was on one such visit that Captain Knight came to see if there was anyone suitable for his Delta Company on the base. He saw Sergeant Newman in action and picked her right there, giving her transfer orders and her stone in front of her training group. She refused to follow him unless provisions were made to ensure my plans were not disrupted.' Jean-Claude shrugged, adjusting the way his 60's were hanging against his back.

'And he saw something in you that he liked.' Danny nodded, easily able to see why someone like Captain Knight might like Jean-Claude as a soldier.

'Not at first. He was all for dumping me on another family just to have Sergeant Newman but she convinced him to come down to the range and see what I was capable of when given the chance. I was already used to using the 60s and pulled out the specialised harness I'd made in my spare time.' Jean-Claude grinned, patting the thick leather strapping circling his chest. 'I believe I shocked Captain Knight when I strapped on two 60's and could still manage whatever speed tests he tried.'

'I can see why. Most guys struggle with a single 60, two is unheard of.' Danny agreed, relaxing more with every word.

'I won his respect on the range, my fire and manoeuvre techniques left him stunned and he presented me with a stone and my own orders, promising to smooth things out and make sure my service was recorded towards my efforts to gain citizenship.' Jean-Claude nodded, adjusting his bandana quickly. 'There will be time to talk more later, Danny. For now our Company needs us to finish with these defences.'

'You got it Sarge.' Danny replied, finally realising they were back near the boundary. Setting his rifle in easy reach, he jumped right back into action, working hard and proving that he was truly a part of Delta Company.

Back in the rear, Aloysius paced anxiously outside the hospital, trying to calm the wild storm that his mind had become. It was taking too long, Lieutenant Raines had promised she would come and find him as soon as Rusty was out of surgery but he was still waiting, two hours after Rusty had been whisked into surgery.

Tapping out another cigarette, he lit it with shaking hands and switched the two rifles over his left shoulder onto his right side, left hand coming to rest on Rusty's helmet, absently stroking over the torn and faded cover.

'Captain Knight!' two voices from two different directions called to him, tearing his focus for a moment. Looking around, he spotted Lieutenant Raines coming towards him from the direction of the hospital and then Lieutenant Goldman coming towards him from the flight line, a footlocker in his hands.

'Move it Goldman! You're second right now!' Aloysius barked, turning to the young woman waiting nearby. 'What's the news, Lieutenant?'

Running one hand through her hair tiredly, Nikki looked up at Aloysius and motioned him over to the stairs, sinking down with a grateful sigh.

'We've done all we can here, Sir. The bullet did a lot more internal damage than first anticipated. The bullet ricocheted around quite a bit once it was inside, I counted four holes in his intestine that we had to repair before we could stabilise properly. Your original judgement was correct, the bullet shattered Captain Wallace's T11 and T12 vertebrae and severed the spinal cord completely. We've patched up his other injuries and will be transferring him to Hawaii as soon as there is transport available.' Nikki briefed, looking a little green around the edges but she was holding strong.

'I'd like to stay with him until he is transferred out.' Aloysius requested, holding up a hand to silence Myron when he finally caught up. 'I've been at his side since he was hit, he trusts me and I know I can stop him trying anything stupid.'

'I think that would be helpful Captain, this is a big change for Captain Wallace.' Nikki nodded, resting a hand on his arm. 'I'm sorry that this happened to your friend.'

'Thank you Lieutenant.' Aloysius replied, patting her hand lightly. 'The men will be glad to know he is going to get the best care available.'

'I'd better get back inside. When you're ready, someone will be available to show you to his bed.' Nikki nodded, getting up and heading inside.

'I take it you brought Rusty's personal effects, Lieutenant.' Aloysius remarked, turning his covered gaze to Myron.

'Yes Sir. Lieutenants McKenzie and Schofield helped with the pack up, in an attempt to avoid packing any of your possessions by mistake.' Myron nodded, setting the footlocker at Aloysius' feet.

Opening the footlocker, Aloysius did a cursory search for anything that didn't belong, confident his friends got it right but realising that Myron needed confirmation before he could relax.

'Lieutenant McKenzie also suggested I bring this but I don't know why.' Myron continued, unhooked an old ammo can from his webbing and holding it out.

'I know why.' Aloysius replied, accepting the can and closing the footlocker.

Setting the can down gently, Aloysius cracked it open, swinging the lid back to reveal dozens of blue stones on black cords, tied in bundles with lengths of green cotton.

'I know you're curious Myron, it's only normal when you see eight people wearing the same thing around their necks but they won't say why. This can contains the legacy of Delta Company, 170 blue stone amulets that used to adorn the throats of my chosen warriors.' Aloysius explained, pulling out a smaller bundle, two amulets clinking together as he held them up. 'Every bundle is another group, these are my Lieutenants. I intended to continue the legacy of the stones, tagging my replacements as the faces changed but I haven't been ready to face it just yet.'

'I saw Percell and Matsuda wearing amulets just like these. I don't know where they got them though.' Myron offered, gazing at the two stones in Aloysius' hand.

'Baba had a spare, I gave it to him a few months ago. I thought he meant it for Horne so I gave him the one that used to belong to my RTO, Thomas Jacobs.' Aloysius continued, putting the bound pair back into the can and digging deeper.

Pulling out a larger bundle, Aloysius unpicked the cotton tie and plucked one cord out from among the others before resecuring the bundle and placing it back in the can.

'With time, as I get used to leading a Company not of my own choosing, I will share out the legacy of the old Delta Company again. It seems it's already happening but I have to lead the way, I have to show that I am ready to accept this. I've been carrin' this can for too long without changing anything inside it, that's gotta change.' Aloysius sighed, running his fingers along the cord he'd pulled out of the bundle. 'These white marks here are the name of the first wearer of this stone, our original second squad medic - Daniel Jacobs.'

'Shouldn't Randy carry the legacy of a team medic?' Myron asked, not understanding why Aloysius picked this stone out of the bundles.

'No, Randy has the stone he's meant to wear. This is right, he faced the same struggles you do, Myron. A father that didn't love him, a mother that left him behind and a faith that restricted him.' Aloysius corrected, leaning over the footlocker and slipping the amulet around Myron's neck, pulling it into position as was appropriate. 'When I get back to camp, I have something else for you. I think it will explain everything properly.'

'Thank you for this trust, Sir.' Myron uttered, rubbing his thumb over the chill stone. 'Do you think it would be alright if I saw Captain Wallace for a moment? The men are worried for his health.'

'Not sure you'll get much out of him but I don't see why not. It'll do you the world of good too, I can tell you are under strain at the moment.' Aloysius shrugged, securing the ammo can and picking it up before grabbing one end of the footlocker. 'Come on, let's go see where he is.'

The medical staff seemed to know better than to get in Aloysius' way, pointing him towards Rusty's room and getting back before he bowled right through them. Myron made a mental note to speak to his fellow Lieutenants about what he was witnessing, concerned that Aloysius wasn't handling this situation at all. He was close to falling apart, everything on his shoulders and no one was there to catch him anymore.

Making the choice, Myron shifted his grip on the footlocker and popped the second handgrip out of Aloysius' fingers, turning to brace the weight in both hands as Aloysius looked back at him. For a moment, Myron was sure he saw a hint of a smile on Aloysius' face before he turned and stepped into one of the wards.

There was Captain Wallace, fast asleep in the corner bed, secured in some kind of steel frame that sent a chill up Myron's back. It looked like an ancient torture device, keeping him from moving around much at all. But then, keeping him still probably gave him the best chance of recovery. It was still a frightening looking thing and Myron was glad no one else had to see Rusty like this.

Crossing the room, Aloysius put the can down beside the bed and reached out, fingers falling to Rusty's neck to check for a pulse. Sighing softly when he found it, Aloysius nodded and lifted his gaze, welcoming Myron closer to the bed. He could relax now, Rusty was out of surgery and things had apparently gone alright, apart from a few extra holes in his guts.

'He's going to be okay, Myron. I know this getup looks scary but it's for the best. Right now, the best thing to do is keep his spine straight until he gets back to the states where the experts can tend to him. It's not going to be a comfortable time for Rusty but it's the best thing for him.' Aloysius explained, smoothing out the sheet draped over Rusty as he spoke.

'It doesn't seem right to see Captain Wallace like this. He's always been so strong, a rock for the Company but this…I'm glad no one else has to see this.' Myron uttered, setting the footlocker down beside the bed and resting one hand on Rusty's arm lightly.

'We have to be strong Myron, this is hard to face but we must do the best we can. No one will judge if you don't want to stay here, I will stay by Rusty's side until he is transferred again.' Aloysius offered, not wanting Myron to think he had to stay if he was uncomfortable.

'No, I want to stay for a little while. I owe Captain Wallace that much.' Myron replied, troubled by what he was seeing but he had to try and take back something positive to the men.

They both jumped as Rusty groaned, one blue eye cracking open slowly. Aloysius was first to come back to his senses, moistening his bandana and wiping Rusty's lips quickly.

'Take it easy Rusty, you're still in a bad way.' Aloysius soothed, glancing over at Myron for a moment. 'You've got another visitor though.'

'I brought your footlocker and possessions, Sir.' Myron added, hoping his concerns didn't show as he looked down at Rusty.

'Thank you Lieutenant.' Rusty smiled, seeming to be reasonably comfortable in this contraption. 'I guess the surgery didn't go quite as planned.'

'Lieutenant Raines confirmed my first evaluation, two vertebrae shattered and the spinal cord completely severed. They also had to repair four holes in your intestine, the bullet bounced around a few times.' Aloysius confirmed, hanging his head for a moment. You'll be transferred to Hawaii as soon as transport has been arranged.'

'So I guess you'll be heading back soon.' Rusty sighed, most of his attention on Aloysius.

'I'm staying here until you're on that medivac flight.' Aloysius promised, jaw set in a determined line. 'The men will be fine, I have confidence in our Lieutenants.'

'Your Lieutenants now, Aloysius.' Rusty corrected, shaking his head slowly. 'You don't need to watch out for me anymore, the men need your presence.'

Looking down at Rusty, Aloysius considered his request, not wanting to stress his friend too much but at the same time, drawn to stay by his side for as long as possible. At the same time, he could understand the reasoning behind returning to the firebase and establishing his command.

'Sir, I have to agree with Captain Wallace. The men need their CO, three Lieutenants can't do what one Captain can do for Ladybird.' Myron added, looking up at Aloysius with respect. 'We can't do it alone, Sir. We all need someone higher up the chain to take the reins before command forces another outsider on us.'

'Go stand guard at the door Myron, I need a moment to speak to Rusty alone.' Aloysius directed, concern for his Company overweighing his instinct to stay with Rusty.

'Yes Sir.' Myron nodded, turning and walking over to stand in the doorway.

This wasn't the farewell Aloysius had hoped for but it was the best that could be managed in their current situation. Coming around the bed, Aloysius glanced back over his shoulder to make sure they were alone and unobserved before leaning over and risking a chaste kiss.

'Take this with you Rusty, wear is always as a symbol of your place within the Army. If you do manage to keep your promise to Danny, this will ensure you come back to where you belong. Command recognises these stones as the sign of those that stand in my Delta Company and will see that you make it home if you ever return to this place.' Aloysius guided, slipping his own Delta stone off and working the chain around Rusty's neck.

'I thought these were only for official Delta members.' Rusty uttered, staring up at Aloysius in disbelief and shock.

'They are, I first placed these around the necks of the original Delta members to mark them as mine and untouchable by the rest of the command structure. But with the original Delta nothing but a memory, now I use them to mark those I have taken into the unit as replacements.' Aloysius nodded, slipping the cord short and making sure the stone was sitting properly. 'Those in the know will be able to read the white marks on this cord and will know you are vitally important to Delta.'

'How? I don't understand.' Rusty replied, not sure he understood how the stone was supposed to protect him and make sure he got home to the unit.

Retrieving the can of ownerless stones, Aloysius opened it and fished out one of the smaller bundles, holding it up so Rusty could see the white markings along the cords.

'These simple white dots are a code, spelling out the name of the first to wear each amulet. Command will see that you wear my name on your amulet and will do all they can to get you back to the team.' Aloysius grinned, digging through the amulets before unpicking one from a large group and slipping it around his neck to replace his own.

'So who did that one belong to?' Rusty asked, getting the idea of what Aloysius' stones represented.

'This one belonged to one of my Sergeants, Mark Simcox. He was a little like Zeke but with Taylor's fire.' Aloysius replied, snugging up the replacement amulet to where it belonged. 'And we wear them high so no one can claim they didn't see the Delta marking. If you have to take yours off for any reason, when you put it back on make sure it comes back to the same point or it doesn't count.'

Slow and careful, aware of his own tentative condition, Rusty brought one hand up to brush the stone at his throat, accepting this new legacy of service. Even now, at his lowest point, he was still a part of something truly special. Aloysius had promised him friendship and support for a lifetime and here he was, making good on that promise.

'I'll take care of it, Aloysius.' Rusty grinned, releasing the stone again.

'I know you will, Rusty.' Aloysius chuckled, leaning in to steal another quick kiss. 'Are you sure you want me to head back? I don't mind staying until the transfer.'

'The men need you more at the moment. You have to steady the ship, before Brigade intervenes and tosses everything we worked for out the window. I'll be fine, I'm in no real pain and I know I'll always have a place with the team.' Rusty guided, fingers curling with Aloysius' lightly. 'Not to mention the memories of many nights spent talking about strange things.'

'And haven't there been some interesting conversations.' Aloysius laughed, squeezing his fingers lightly. 'Write when you can, the guys will be anxious to hear of your recovery.'

'I'll probably just write you, I know you'll pass the info on to them.' Rusty sighed, yawning wide.

'Count on it, Rusty. Get some rest, I'll take care of everythin' on this end. The only thing you need to worry about is making the best recovery you can.' Aloysius soothed, carding his free fingers through Rusty's hair. 'I'll keep you up to date on everyone, don't stress.'

'I know.' Rusty nodded, eyes sliding closed. 'I'll miss you Aloysius. Soon as it's known, I'll have someone let you know where I end up.'

'Shh, get some sleep Rusty. I have absolute confidence that contact will never be broken between us.' Aloysius whispered, tucking him in lightly and stroking his hair. 'Let all your problems fade away, its okay.'

Aloysius stayed by his bedside until Rusty was fast asleep, snoring softly as he regained his energy for what was going to be the hardest fight of his life. Pulling something out of his pocket, Aloysius tucked it into Rusty's footlocker before grabbing the ammo can and heading for the door.

'Come on Lieutenant, Ladybird needs her Captain. Rusty will be okay, he's strong and in the best hands now. There's nothing more we can do for him, we're needed back at base to prepare for whatever this war is gonna throw our way.' Aloysius grinned, clapping him on the shoulder.

'Sir, would it be possible for me to have a quick word to Lieutenant Raines? She's someone special, if you catch my meaning.' Myron requested, stepping out with Aloysius.

'You have five minutes.' Aloysius nodded, glancing back at Rusty before striding down the corridor as Myron hurried away to find his special lady.

All eyes turned skyward at the sight of the chopper overhead. Swooping into a low hover over the camp, the bird held still as a familiar figure leapt out and rolled across the ground before springing to his feet. The second figure out of the chopper wasn't quite as smooth with his exit or landing but he was quickly back on his feet as the chopper headed away again.

Recognising the style of the dismount, the remnants of the original Delta Company put up the call, word spreading quickly about the return of their Captain. Abandoning their tasks, the Company ran to meet him, wanting to be absolutely sure of his return. Bringing only their weapons, the men ran to gather before their Captain.

Ammo can in hand and Myron at his shoulder, Aloysius smiled at the sight of his men running to greet him. He felt strange with Rusty's helmet hanging from his webbing beside his own and weapons that had once been recorded to Rusty now officially his. He'd kept his prototype pistol but now he had Rusty's 1911 on his belt as well.

Only once his full Company had gathered did Aloysius unclip the second helmet from his webbing and hold it up, confident that the men would recognise the helmet for what it was.

'So long as we remember Captain Wallace, he will never be gone from Ladybird. With his blessing, I return his helmet to the men he wished to see carry his legacy through this war. He may technically have been a part of Bravo until today but he has chosen that his story is to be carried onwards by Delta and if, by some stroke of luck, he is able to return to this war, his position is promised within our ranks.' Aloysius declared, bringing fresh hope to men that had little to smile about. 'Over the next week or so, things will change around here. I have been negligent of my duties, leaving many members of the new Delta Company unmarked. I see a few amulets have changed hands, binding old and new together and I intend to see that every member of Delta once again is marked as something special.'

Lowering the helmet, Aloysius waked among his men, encouraging them to place a hand upon the gifted helmet and remember the great man that was missing from their ranks. A whisper took off among the men, a few hushed voices calling down the luck of Captain Wallace on them as they tried to face whatever was coming.

'I will place this helmet inside the CP bunker, safe from whatever comes our way. Whenever you feel driven to step in and place a hand upon the legacy of our missing friend, do not hesitate. Whatever is going on, I want you all to feel free to come and see the legacy of Captain Rusty Wallace whenever you need him.' Aloysius guided, ignoring the curious Bravo men hanging around on the edges of their gathering. 'Eventually a new Captain will come to take over Bravo but Delta will reign supreme on this firebase.'


	5. Ch 5 - Burn, Baby, Burn

Sick and tired of the crap that was going on all around them, Rufus got special permission from Aloysius to do a little scouting in Sin City, checking out if things really were as bad as every other indicator made it seem. Putting on his cleanest fatigues and making an effort to look respectable, he headed into town with some of the guys, making no secret of his rank. Sure, he might have stood a better chance of getting the information he wanted if he left his rank behind but he knew he'd likely need the protection that single bar on his collar gave him.

Completely unnoticed in the dim lights of the boom-boom bar, he took up a spot near the door as Taylor, Johnson and a couple of their fellow bloods took in the scene before heading for the bar to get a drink. Already Rufus could see the racial issues were starting, a couple of white hicks trying to stir up trouble with his Delta brothers. Rufus recognised those two as well, they were stationed on Ladybird in Delta but they hadn't been taken in officially and likely never would be if this was their normal attitude.

Moving closer, all the focus on the conflict by the bar, Rufus picked his weapon of choice, knowing full well that he would probably have to step in before things got out of hand. Sometimes it was hard being a Delta man, the loyalty and brotherhood couldn't be ignored so long as someone in that group was wearing the blue stone of Delta. As ranking officer in the situation, Rufus had no choice but to step in and settle things down.

Beers on the bar and the big white boy stepped in, sweeping the bottles onto the floor. The bloods got in the first punch, driving back that damned troublemaker Ennis. Without hesitation, Rufus leapt forward, pushing Johnson and Taylor behind him to get right into the thick of the fight. Tucker flicked out a knife, keeping the rest of the white boys from getting involved, Rufus' presence enough to keep Taylor and Johnson from getting into it.

Sidestepping the twisting bodies, Rufus grabbed Ennis by the shirt and yanked him off balance, quickly putting him into a rear choke hold. Ennis tried to put up a fight but Rufus had him for size and strength and quickly slammed him up against the bar.

'Before you go startin' trouble, white boy, you'd best make sure ya know what's around ya. Ain't always clear who might kick ya ass for tryin' somethin'. Ya just remember what those blue stone mean and think about just who ya risk pissin' off when ya try it.' Rufus growled, tightening his grip on the struggling racist.

'So you're a nigger lover, are you LT?' Ennis asked, still trying to get Rufus off his back.

'Don't care about their colour, only care that they're Delta men. Anythin' else ain't important.' Rufus replied, releasing Ennis and turning him around.

Sensing a possible victory, Ennis broke free of Rufus' grip on his shoulders and went to charge at the black men again but Rufus wasn't about to let that happen. Turning sharply, every muscle coiled to power the shot; Rufus spun on his right foot and slammed his left boot at full force into Ennis' groin, sending him flying back into the bar.

'If anyone wants to try anythin' with any Delta man, you'll get the same treatment. Colour don't matter to us, we stick together through it all!' Rufus challenged, turning back to the white men gathered around. 'As for the rest of ya slackers that came off Ladybird, let this be a warnin' to ya'll. Ya kick off trouble and ya'll end up like Ennis over there. Don't matter if ya black or white, we hold everyone to the same high standard.'

Turning sharply on his heel, Rufus looked down at Johnson and Taylor, shaking his head slowly as he brushed the stone amulet he wore proudly. They were his responsibility at the moment but they knew nothing came for free in Delta, this step up from Rufus would cost them later.

'You two, outside.' Rufus directed, pointing to his two marked men. 'You two stay outta my sight. This is Delta business.'

'You got it, LT.' Taylor nodded, heading for the door with Johnson.

'You sure about leaving those two behind LT?' Johnson asked, hoping to avoid any more trouble.

'They ain't Delta; I got no reason to protect 'em. But if I hear any more fightin' in here, I'll just have to come back in and crush a few more man hoods.' Rufus shrugged, ushering the pair outside and away from the bar.

Finding a quiet spot still within earshot of that particular bar, Rufus leant back against a wall and slid down a little, getting on the same height as his two Delta men, easing the strain of them constantly having to look up at him.

'You two don't realise this just yet but you've got more support in the unit than ya think. Ain't always clear where people stand when it comes to racism but I can assure you that you've got friends in high places. Don't make this common knowledge but my mamma is black, it's always been a shock for people to see me with her but I know she loves me and won't stand for anyone tellin' me otherwise.' Rufus explained, pulling a photo out of his pocket and handing it to Johnson.

Both men stared at the photo in disbelief, recognising their Lieutenant standing behind an older white man and a black woman. Rufus had the same round face and smiling eyes as his mother, the same loose curl to his hair and even in this photo, it was clear that he loved her something fierce.

'I never would have picked that one, LT.' Taylor nodded, handing back the photo.

'I ain't the only one either. But that ain't my story to tell, just know that if trouble starts again, you've got big support.' Rufus grinned, putting the photo away safely.

'Can't you at least give us a hint, LT?' Johnson asked, eager to know who else might be on their side against all this racial trouble.

'Well, I won't say too much but I know Baba has some Negro heritage and I heard Renard mention that she has some too.' Rufus replied, recalling the discussion the eight had shared a few days ago.

'Thanks LT.' Johnson nodded, eyes lighting up at the given names. 'You won't hear of me stirring up trouble, I'm over this racial crap.'

'Taylor?' Rufus pushed, wanting to be sure his men were safe before he left them alone.

'I won't start any LT, but I'll sure as hell finish it.' Taylor nodded, a new fire in his eyes.

'Probably not the wisest idea Taylor but I'll take what I can get from ya. If ya do have to fight, just do what I did and ya can't go wrong. Choke hold to weaken 'em then go straight for the nuts. Takes the fight outta 'em real fast.' Rufus guided, resting his hands on their shoulders. 'But remember, Delta holds people to a higher standard so the best thing to do is simply walk away.'

'We'll remember LT.' both men replied, trusting in his advice and hoping them could follow through with it.

'Good. Now enjoy the night, I've got a few other things to do before I head on back but there are plenty of other Delta members around if you need help.' Rufus grinned, straightening up and leaving the pair in peace.

Out on patrol the next morning, the entire command team knew about the incident in Sin City the night before and were keeping a close eye on Ennis in particular, watching to see if things would blow up again. They were all hoping it wouldn't happen but no one could be certain of anything anymore. Aloysius had already given his Lieutenants his thoughts on the matter, insisting that if the trouble didn't settle and soon he would deal with it personally and no one would like that.

Right in the middle of the group, Buck scanned the trees carefully, his highly tuned combat instincts warning him that something was wrong. He couldn't quite put his finger on it but there was definitely trouble lurking somewhere just ahead.

'Don't bunch up you guys. You're bunching up.' Goldman corrected, somewhere further back in the column creeping through the jungle.

Wading through the creek, Buck glanced over at Schofield, trying to get a read on what he thought of the situation. But before he could read Schofields for guidance, the sharp retort of enemy gunfire rang out, one man dropping in front of Buck, dead before he even hit the ground.

'Ambush!' Buck roared, diving behind some rocks for cover. 'Sniper! Sniper!'

'Take cover!' Zeke called, scrambling forward and landing behind a tree.

'Cover! Cover!' Jean-Claude barked, bringing his 60's to bear.

'Quickly! To the right!' Libby warned, splashing down into the creek.

'Where's he at?' Goldman asked, hunkered down behind another tree.

'I don't know.' Zeke replied, searching for the sniper in the leaves.

'I think he's my eleven o'clock.' Mother added, stuck behind the next tree along to Zeke's flank. 'I'm not sure. Ennis! I'm gonna cover for you. You get the right flank.'

Breaking his own cover, Buck ran forward with the flanking group, determined to stick to Knight's orders to put a lid on this racial tension. Dropping down behind another rock, just behind where Ennis and company were settled, Buck listened to them and knew things were far from being calm and stable again. There was definitely a concern about Ennis covering for two bloods but there wasn't much to be done about that under fire.

Peeking over the rock, Buck swore when Ennis dropped back behind his rock, slapping his gun in a pathetic attempt to clear a jam. Making a note to call him on it later, Buck opened fire, trying to silence the sniper up in the trees before anyone else was killed. It didn't quite work out though, one of the bloods attached to their company went down with a scream, disappearing into the undergrowth.

'Damn you to hell, Ennis.' Buck snarled, trying desperately to find the sniper. 'Medic! Medic!'

Scrambling from her position, Veronique came up beside Buck but waited for the death knell of the sniper before hustling to the wounded, flipping him over and checking for a pulse. There was nothing she could do this time, their comrade was already dead.

'I'm sorry Tucker, there's nothing I can do.' she offered, looking up at the man beside her.

'Renard, Matsuda needs some help.' Jean-Claude called, sending her running back the other way to lend a hand with the other wounded.

Vaulting out from behind his rock, Buck waved Zeke and Myron back without taking his focus off Tucker and Ennis, the pair pushing and arguing over what had just happened.

'Where the hell were you man?' Tucker demanded, shoving Ennis back a step.

'My gun jammed.' Ennis replied, getting right back into the shoving match.

'Mighty convenient time, sucker.'

'What are you saying?'

'You know what I'm saying. I'm saying that I can't be losing people like this.' Tucker replied, pulling Ennis right in close.

'Alright, that's enough you two! Let it go! Let it go!' Buck snapped, shoving in between the pair and pushing them apart. 'It's over, let it go.'

'It's over for him. For me, it's just beginning. Now you keep this scum outta my face and don't be asking me to cover for him.' Tucker shot back, temper boiling over at Ennis.

'Hey, Tucker, I don't want to hear that! You know these weapons jam!' Rufus warned, coming up behind Buck.

'LT, I saw the situation up close. Ennis did not use proper clearing techniques when his weapon jammed. Now I ain't saying he's right or wrong, we've all had mind blanks under fire. Ennis made a mistake and a good man has died but I know a lot of men have done the slap trick on a jammed gun.' Buck replied, taking the rifle from Ennis and pulling the cocking handle before firing off a few rounds. 'A jammed gun is a dirty gun, Ennis. Don't let it happen again.'

'So that's it, you're just gonna let the white boy walk away after he let my friend die.' Tucker growled, putting a hand on Buck's shoulder. 'You white folk are all the same.'

'I got news for you, Tucker. I ain't pure white, there's Negro blood in my veins. The blood I spill is both and I won't stand for any badmouthin' of either half of my family.' Buck warned, shoving Tucker right back out of his space. 'That goes for you as well Ennis! Badmouth blacks and you're pissin' off a lot of people in Delta.'

'I'd think real hard about openin' ya mouth again, Ennis. I already balled ya once, I'd hate to do it again so soon.' Rufus added, turning away from the pair. 'Police up the bodies and let's get the hell outta here before we get any more trouble.'

Listening to the report back from his Lieutenants about the trouble out in the field, Aloysius scowled heavily, troubled by all this trouble that was just waiting for the right trigger to blow up in their faces. They'd come close out in the bush by the sounds of things and it was only going to get worse before things ever cleared up.

Sighing heavily, Aloysius moved around the table and stepped behind Myron, reaching up to place a hand on the helmet sitting in the corner, right where everyone could find it if they needed the guidance of a friend without being able to speak with him.

'What would you do Rusty? How would you handle this impending disaster and stabilise the firebase?' Aloysius uttered, hanging his head as he tried to find a solution. There was no solution though, no matter what he considered there was always another problem coupled to any solution.

Looking up at the sound of hooting and cheering outside, the four officers didn't even hesitate, hustling out of the CP bunker to see that was going on out there.

'I don't fuckin' believe this.' Aloysius uttered, staring in disbelief at what he was witnessing. Ennis and his white trash buddies were all gathered around their tent, proudly raising a rebel flag over the camp. The slurs were one thing but this fight just got personal.

'What's the plan, Sir?' Rufus asked, resting a restraining hand on Aloysius' shoulder.

'That flag comes down and disappears.' Aloysius replied, shaking the hand off his shoulder and drawing his 1911 as he stormed across the base.

Seeing Tucker and the other bloods coming towards the scene, Rufus stepped away from Aloysius' side to block their path, turning a warning gaze towards Taylor and Johnson. Dismissing Rufus from his thoughts, Aloysius continued on towards the white group, looking for a little payback of his own. He'd done some reading and knew just what he could get away with and he was going to push that to the limit to get rid of this trouble.

'That's real white of you Ennis but it's gotta come down. This ain't the place for racial tensions, not unless ya know just what ya getting into with Delta Company. Ya'll are on my turf now, Ladybird belongs to Delta and I ain't above a little Delta justice towards anyone that disrespects what we stand for.' Aloysius warned, getting right in Ennis' face. 'It comes down right now.'

'What are you gonna do, Sir? Put your Lieutenant on me again?' Ennis taunted, refusing to bow to orders now that his blood was up.

Holstering his pistol to remove the temptation to just shoot this troublemaker, Aloysius stepped up and grabbed Ennis by the shoulders. Before anyone could even so much as blink, Aloysius had Ennis on the ground, blood gushing from his nose and both hands clamped to his family jewels.

'Now, anyone else wanna deny my command?' Aloysius asked, stepping over Ennis and climbing up to retrieve the flag.

Climbing down, he twisted the flag up in his hands and tied it into several knots before stepping back over Ennis and moving out into the camp again, holding up the flag. Everyone was staring at him, waiting to see what their Captain would do about this constantly flaring trouble. Lowering the flag, Aloysius reached into his pocket for his lighter, holding that up so everyone could see his intentions and hopefully realise that he wouldn't stand for this.

Ennis tried to get up and challenge Aloysius for the flag but Shane backhanded him sharply, putting him back down heavily.

'I have had enough of this black against white garbage! I look around and I see a bunch of pathetic, whiny assed fools acting like children! White men are no better than black men! Black men are no different to white men! Our forebears fought to end the inequality and Goddammit I will not see my command torn apart by this bullshit! My momma is a white woman, my dad is a black man and I am a proud blend of both worlds!' Aloysius roared, sparking his lighter and setting fire to the flag in his hand. 'This ends now! I don't care who started it! I am ending it right now!'

Everyone was silent, watching their Captain with a mixture of shock and disbelief as he held the burning flag for all to see. He almost seemed immune to the flames licking over the flag, fingers digging into the material before he finally dropped it and stood guard, daring anyone to come and try to put the fire out before the flag was destroyed completely.

'Both sides of this petty disagreement have now been put on notice. I stand with neither side and if I see or hear of any Delta man getting involved with this racial crap will be out of my Company so fast they're gonna have rope burn on their necks for the rest of their lives!' Aloysius snapped, turning on his heel and heading back to the CP bunker.

Swapping looks, the three Lieutenants all knew that the best thing they could do right now was give their Captain some space to cool off before he really lost his cool. As it was, they weren't real sure they could control things while he was in such a foul mood but they certainly had to try.

'Did you know the Captain was a mixture?' Shane asked, coming up beside Rufus.

'I never would have guessed it.' Myron mused, joining his friends near the burned flag.

'It ain't always obvious Myron. But it's nice to know I ain't the only one.' Rufus shrugged, checking the flag had been reduced to nothing but ash. 'I'm the other way though, my mamma is black.'

'There's a few in the Company, used to be more but the massacre…' Shane sighed, shaking his head quickly. 'Come on, we'd better go see if we can calm the Captain before he decides to shoot Tucker and Ennis and be done with it.'

Still feeling edgy after the Captain's display the day previous, Delta Company prepared to head out into the bush again, this time aiming to sneak in and capture a known VC sympathetic ville. But even after Knight's warning about not putting up with this racial crap anymore, the men weren't so willing to let it go. The Sergeants were on high alert, keeping a sharp eye out for any trouble but they knew they couldn't watch every man at once.

The Sergeants were on full alert, circling among the men and looking for the slightest hint of trouble brewing again. So far the men were mostly hanging out in their own groups, Ennis and his white men in one group and Tucker with the bloods off on their own. Then Percell tried to blur the lines, walking over to talk with Taylor and Johnson about the mission.

Motioning for the others to stay back, Jean-Claude moved closer, wanting to be sure that Tucker didn't get any ideas about badmouthing Percell. That sort of thing simply wouldn't stand while he was around. Danny was a gentle soul, this racism garbage was upsetting to him though he tried to hide it from everyone.

'Looks like our ride's here.' Johnson remarked, unaware of Jean-Claude standing behind him.

'Hey, you guys ready for another one?' Percell asked, stopping beside Taylor.

'Ready for you to di-di white meat.' Tucker replied, turning mistrustful eyes to Percell.

'Lighten up Duke, Percell don't play that trash.' Taylor defended, sticking to what he'd been taught about the honour of Delta. 'Besides, he's the best shot in the platoon.'

'So what? Why don't you go over with Ennis and your other honkey confederates?' Tucker scoffed, dropping his cigarette and crushing it out under his boot.

'Because I'm over here. I don't think like those guys, Tucker. I was taught to judge a man by what he does, not his colour.' Danny replied, shouldering his rifle in readiness.

'What do you want? The Nobel Peace Prize.' Tucker taunted, refusing to accept that Danny was different to Ennis and the others.

'Wow Tucker, you and Ennis got a lot more in common than you know.' Percell countered, turning to his friends. 'You guys aren't buyin' this stuff, are you?'

'Don't put me in the same breath as that cracker.'

'Then do me the same courtesy.' Percell snapped, fed up with this racial tension.

'Why don't you guys lay off!' Johnson interjected, leaning closer to the bickering pair. 'Now look, he ain't done nothin' to us.'

'Get hip farmer boy before it's too late. Time is comin' when you gonna have to choose sides.' Tucker warned, turning his angry attention back to Johnson.

'The time's here when we're going on a mission. Together.' Johnson shot back, turning and heading for the waiting choppers.

Glad to see that this time the angry words hadn't escalated into violence, Jean-Claude followed the bickering group towards the chopper, expecting things to get out of hand when Percell tried to mount up with them. Sure enough, Tucker leapt onboard behind Taylor and Johnson then turned and blocked Percell from getting onboard. Danny went to go around the other side but Jean-Claude stopped him with a light hand on his shoulder.

Moving Danny aside with one hand, Jean-Claude reached into the hold and grabbed Tucker by the webbing, hauling him out of the chopper and holding him clear of the ground in the other. Letting Tucker hang for a moment, he turned his attention back to Danny and got him inside before dropping Tucker on his ass and climbing inside, resettling his paired M60's for maximum comfort.

'Pick your battles wisely, Tucker. Insulting one Delta man is an insult to all who wear the stone of Delta.' Jean-Claude warned, thumbing the blue stone at his throat as Tucker stood and ran around to the other side of the bird. 'You two have been warned about this. I should not have to step in when Tucker gets out of hand while you are beside him.'

'Thanks Sarge.' Danny grinned, shuffling over to tuck into the corner between the co-pilot's seat and Jean-Claude. 'This racial stuff is outta hand, I don't know what to do.'

'Continue as you always have, Danny. Leave controlling this mess to those higher up the chain.' Jean-Claude nodded, reaching over to tap one finger against Danny's nose. 'You are a good man, Danny, pay no mind to small-minded bigots.'

Danny couldn't help but smile at the words but the gesture meant so much more to him. Jean-Claude had become more like a father figure than a Sergeant. Really, he was the closest thing to a proper father figure Danny could have asked for, including his own blood father. His old man was more worried about rodeos and chasing skirts than his son so for Danny, having a man like Jean-Claude in his life was truly a blessing. Jean-Claude seemed to know how important he was to Danny, he was always watching out for him and made sure to stick close to him in the field, imparting his knowledge to the young Montana man.

Setting up their camp for the night, Mother took over the main watch, relieving Buck from having to keep a constant eye on Ennis. It was a tiring duty but someone had to make sure he wasn't out to cause more problems. The rest of the Sergeants scattered throughout the small clearing, attending to their other duties. Jean-Claude was over watching out for Percell like he normally did whenever he had a chance. Buck was off taking care of personal business as Zeke talked tactics and planned the next step with their Lieutenants.

It was almost peaceful, the soft murmur of voices reaching her ears as she circled the camp slowly, always watching what Ennis was doing in the group. She saw their Vietnamese Lieutenant, Minh, trading rations with Horne, most likely for his men but there was no telling sometimes. Minh was an interesting case, he had his butt on the line just like everyone else but there was something about him that Mother didn't trust. This was a new feeling for her, usually she didn't feel anything wrong about the local troops they worked with.

Shaking off such thoughts, she put her eyes back on Ennis and his boys, a dark feeling up her back as she watched them doing something to a cigarette. They were up to no good again, probably aiming some kind of a prank at the black members of the Company and that wasn't going to fly with her around. For now though she held off, waiting to see what dirty trick Ennis would pull so she could hand out a little Delta judgement to fit his mistake.

Moving closer, blending in with the troops, she got close enough to the group to intervene if things got out of hand but she was still careful to hide her presence, knowing full well that Ennis wouldn't pull his stunt if he knew there was a Sergeant watching.

'Hey there, Johnson.' Ennis called, approaching Johnson with his cronies.

'What you want, Ennis?' Johnson asked, looking up from where he was rolling his poncho.

'Now no need to be unfriendly. I just wanted to bury the hatchet.' Ennis replied, his words almost sounding believable for a moment. 'Mend the fence, all that good stuff.'

'You mean bury the hatchet in my back, right?' Johnson countered, standing and turning to confront Ennis, his dislike of the situation clear.

'Talkin' about brotherhood, Johnson. You know, let's get rid of all that nigger and honkey talk and let's get some equality here.' Ennis continued, his words setting off alarm bells in Mother's head.

'Hey look, I don't know what your game is, alright but I ain't playing.' Johnson returned, sticking to his guns and refusing to stoop to Ennis' level.

'Game? Just democracy. We over here to protect the world from the international communist conspiracy. I reckon we won't do much of a job of it, if we're always at each other's throats. Am I right?' Ennis insisted, really trying to sell his game to Johnson.

'Well action speaks louder than words.' Johnson replied, glancing over at some of his fellow Delta men and making his choice.

'And you're gonna see some real good ones.' Ennis promised, clapping Johnson on the shoulder quickly. 'Let's smoke the peace pipe on it.'

'Thanks but I don't smoke.' Johnson shrugged, turning away and getting back to reorganising his gear, leaving Ennis standing there looking a fool.

Proud of Johnson for not falling into Ennis' trap, Mother made a mental note to pull him aside later and praise his actions but that would have to wait. Minh was heading for Ennis and would most certainly fall into the trap Johnson had managed to avoid. Adjusting her grip on her rifle, she moved closer, still making sure she wasn't drawing extra attention.

'Well why not. Let's get everybody in one this deal. White, black and yellow.' Ennis laughed, lighting the cigarette he'd given Minh.

With a sharp crack, the cigarette exploded in Minh's face, startling the young officer and sending Johnson shooting to his feet. Tossing her rifle to Baker, Mother charged into the situation, driving Ennis to the ground with a flying tackle as Horne restrained Johnson from getting involved. Curling one hand around Ennis' throat, Mother squeezed just enough to take the fight out of him.

Libby was next on the scene, calming Minh with a few soft words in Vietnamese and tempting him to let it go with chocolate and a cigarette that hadn't been tampered with. She proved it was a real cigarette by lighting it herself, letting him know that it wasn't dangerous. He seemed appeased by that, accepting the chocolate bar and the cigarette with a smile and a bowed head.

Relaxing her grip just a little, Mother dropped her full weight onto Ennis and glared down at him, her temper up and nothing was going to calm her until she'd made sure this was a lesson Ennis never forgot.

'Now you listen up boy, I've had about enough of your white trash behaviour. You ain't any better than anyone else, you're the lowest kinda life there is over here. I got more respect for the VC than I've got for you. At least they don't stoop so low as to attack their own men.' Mother growled, unhooking her knife and holding it out. 'Someone wanna heat the tip of this for me, I got a plan to deal with this scum.'

'I got it Mother.' Danny grinned, stepping up and pulling out his lighter.

Holding the blade steady, Mother watched Danny until she was satisfied he'd heated up a good portion of her blade until it was as hot as he could get it with his Zippo. Withdrawing his hand, he closed his lighter and moved back as Mother brought the blade closer to Ennis.

'Mother.' Shane warned, appearing through the circle of men around them.

'Don't worry LT, I ain't gonna do what we saw back in 66 with that other Marine Lieutenant and his racist.' Mother replied, a malicious glint in her eyes. 'Just gonna make sure Ennis never forgets.'

Moving her free hand to cover his mouth, she brought the blade down, pressing the heated steel blade against his forehead. Ennis howled in pain, struggling to get her off his abdomen but Mother refused to be shifted until the job was done. Most of the guys recoiled from the smell of burned human flesh but she held firm, glaring down at Ennis as she made her point the only way she could. This time she hoped he would get the message.

Pulling the blade free a few moments later, she examined the new branding on his face, completely impossible to hide even if he could get away with it. From hairline to the bridge of his nose, she'd branded him with the blade, a firm warning about racial trouble in the ranks.

'It's clear ya don't learn after bein' kicked in the nuts. I know Lieutenant McKenzie got ya and I saw Captain Knight do it too but ya kept on pushin' this racial crap. But crushed nuts heal and the pain can be forgotten. This will never go away though, you'll carry my warnin' for the rest of ya pathetic life. Every time ya look in a mirror, this will remind ya of when ya crossed a line with Delta.' Mother spat, holding out her knife again. 'Someone wanna clean his taint off my blade? I don't wanna have anything of him on me, he's worse than a leech.'

'I got it, Mother.' Zeke nodded, taking her knife and heading away to clean the burned flesh off it.

Climbing off Ennis, Mother got in one last parting shot that made every man that saw it wince and forced a squeal of pain from Ennis. They all knew how strong she was and seeing her drive her right fist into Ennis' groin at full strength had the men turning away, each one feeling a sympathetic twinge as she stood.

'And Tucker, be glad I wasn't there when ya disrespected Percell or I woulda given ya the same treatment. Don't care what colour ya'll are, ya piss me off and I'll make ya regret it.' she added, catching her rifle and turning away from Ennis.

Managing to get onto his knees, Ennis glared after Mother and then came up with the greater insult. With nothing but distain in his eyes, he spat at her, the action unnoticed by her but another Sergeant did spot his disgusting act.

'You did not just disrespect Sergeant Newman, boy.' Jean-Claude spat, unhooking his M60's and setting them down. 'Tell me I didn't just see you hock a loogie at Sergeant Newman.'

'He did what?' Zeke demanded, returning with Mother's now clean knife in his hand.

'This filthy animal just dared hock a loogie at Sergeant Newman. I saw it hit, it's on the back of her pants.' Jean-Claude replied, shoving Ennis back into the mud with one boot and pinning him there.

'Mother, turn around.' Zeke directed, handing back her knife and looking down as she turned.

Sure enough, right there on the back of her right knee was a loogie, soaking into her fatigues. Jean-Claude saw it too and grabbed Ennis up, one strong hand locked around his belt and the other curled into the back of his shirt. With shocking suddenness, Jean-Claude brought Ennis down on his raised knee, knocking the wind out of him and almost folding the other man in half. Throwing Ennis to the ground again, Jean-Claude spat on his back before turning and stalking away, picking up his M60's before getting back to what he was meant to be doing.

Now Buck got his shot at Ennis, preventing both medics from going to his aid even as he approached Ennis, groaning in pain on the ground.

'Well done, asswipe, you just earned a new name. Until you transfer outta Ladybird, you shall only be known as Camel.' Buck declared, his words earning a few sniggers from the rest of the Delta men and women. 'Anyone heard referring to you as anything else will be put on latrine duty for a month or until they are transferred outta Ladybird. That decision will be left to the Captain.'

'Well hey, aren't camels great beasts of burden?' Ruiz asked, adjusting his hold on his M60.

'Good point Ruiz.' Buck nodded, looking back down at Ennis. 'As such, you will carry whatever we decide you can handle. Tomorrow you can start with all the extra M60 ammo and the spare radio batteries along with whatever else we decide to burden you with.'

'Yeah, I'd say the Captain will agree with that. He might even have a few jobs for the base Camel to do for him as well.' Rufus agreed, earning a few more snorts of laughter. 'C'mon Buck, leave the Camel to rest for a little while. We've got a war to fight.'

'Let this be a warning to all those who wanna fight this racial war. That's how we do discipline in Delta. So unless ya'll wanna end up like Camel here, I suggest you drop it now.' Shane warned, looking around the men again before turning on his heel and stalking away.

With the dawn came another shock for an already rattled team. Ennis was found dead at his watch post, a bayonet sticking out of his back with green tape wrapped around the handle. The Sergeants were quick to send the men away from the area, wrapping the body in a poncho and using a plastic bag to cover the knife before Zeke pulled it free. Jean-Claude got the unlucky job of passing word to the Lieutenants as the rest of them moved the body away from the camp until they could figure out what to do.

They all recognised the bayonet, all four Sergeants had gotten to know the individual characteristics of how the men individualised their gear. Only a few people in the Company wrapped green taps around the handles of their bayonets. A quick check of those few revealed only one missing blade. No one wanted to believe that he did it but protocol had to be followed. The Sergeants drew straws for who would go fetch their suspect, Buck lucked out and had to go get him so the Lieutenants could talk it over with him.

Buck eventually returned to the group with Johnson and a heavy scowl on his face. The reason for the scowl became obvious seconds later when Taylor emerged from the undergrowth and came to stand beside Johnson. Surprisingly though, Taylor was quiet as Johnson told his side of the story, defending his innocence.

As distasteful as the found this whole business, the Lieutenants all agreed that they had to do this together, it couldn't be just one of them going at Johnson or they could be seen as being racist themselves. They were all white sure but Rufus had already made it clear that he was of mixed heritage and Shane made no secret of his admiration for the black men he'd served beside.

'Let's go over this one more time, Johnson.' Rufus coaxed, realising that he was tired of this but they had to be personally certain before they could move on.

'Look, I told you Sir, I was asleep.' Johnson replied, finding it hard to trust his Lieutenants now that they were coming after him for murder.

'Is this your bayonet?' Myron asked, looking at the bagged weapon Rufus was holding.

'Now everybody knows I keep green tape on my bayonet just like…' Johnson started, trying to explain his situation.

'Johnson, is this your bayonet?' Shane pushed, looking for any cracks in his story.

'Yes, Sirs.' Johnson admitted, giving up trying to explain anything.

'Well it's also the bayonet that wound up in Ennis' back. Now how do you explain that?' Rufus sighed, trying to not show this was hurting.

'I can't explain it.' Johnson spat, looking at his Lieutenants with distrust and confusion.

'It didn't just jump outta your scabbard man.' Myron tried, aiming for a different approach.

'Nobody saw you sleeping.' Shane added, a little surprised that Taylor wasn't trying to defend his friend from this.

'Nobody saw me kill Ennis. Look, if I did kill him, you think I'd dumb enough to leave my bayonet there?' Johnson countered, a little spark of his usual attitude coming back.

'Marvin, everybody saw you guys going at it.' Myron replied, trying to appeal to his better sense.

'LT's, this is Johnson we're talking about.' Taylor weighed in at last.

'Taylor. Get outta here.' Rufus warned, pointing back to the main group.

'He ain't no killer.'

'Taylor!' Shane snapped, his patience worn thin.

'But LT's…'

'Taylor.' Myron growled, turning his gaze to Marcus.

'He ain't no killer.' Taylor remarked, turning and walking away.

'Look, why are you trying to pin this on me, damn it? You know what kinda soldier I am, Lieutenants.' Johnson demanded, his pain at not being trusted showing through for a moment.

'Alright Johnson. Now we're pulling outta here in a few minutes. Now the body and the bayonet are going back to Brigade. I gotta tell you man, they're gonna do a full investigation at CID. That's it.' Myron offered, hating that there was nothing more they could do for Johnson now.

The Sergeants knew that it was time for them to stand back and leave the Lieutenants to deal with this matter. It wasn't hard to tell that they were all struggling to deal with the fact one of their own might have been a murderer, it just didn't fit with what they knew of Johnson.

'I'd love to scrap this whole mission but the old man told me Battalion said no way.' Myron spat, reaching out to take the bayonet from Rufus.

'Now LT, I know you don't think Johnson did it.' Zeke offered, coming up behind Myron.

'Under ordinary circumstances I'd say no. But this racial crap has got everybody's blood boiling.' Shane replied, glancing over his shoulder at Buck. 'Damn.'

'Not true, LT. My blood's boiling 'cause I know someone in this circle is holdin' out on ya.' Mother corrected, looking straight at Zeke.

'Care to explain Mother.' Rufus nodded, wondering just what she was driving at.

'I was up all night, makin' sure the men were safe and the night sentries were still focused. I wasn't the only one out there, now was I Anderson?' Mother replied, the challenge clear in her voice.

'Sergeant?' Myron asked, turning to Zeke expectantly.

'Now when I saw Johnson he was still awake. Besides, I was only there for a few moments.' Zeke shrugged, not seeing how his few seconds of eyes on Johnson proved or disproved anything.

'You mean to say Johnson was with Taylor last night? Why the hell didn't Taylor say anything?' Jean-Claude asked, scratching at his beard quickly.

'My guess, he didn't think we'd believe him. And we did chase him away without hearing what he had to say on the topic.' Shane sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. 'Fuck it.'

'I went past 'em a few times last night. I never saw Johnson leave his spot near Taylor. My passes left him enough time to do it but I'd like to believe he didn't.' Mother continued, looking up at Rufus with concern.

'We'd all like to believe that a Delta man didn't do this but until there's any proof, we can't rule on Johnson either way. If he did, he has to pay for it. If he didn't, we have to find who did.' Buck sighed, shaking his head slowly.

'I don't know if I should say this or not…but ever since we left Ladybird I've had a bad feelin' about Lieutenant Minh. Can't say why I got it this time but there's something about him that don't feel right. We can't be forgettin' that Ennis did go after him with the explodin' cigarette.' Mother sighed, hating to muddy the waters but it had to be said.

'We know what some of those ARVN officers can be like, they will shoot their own for such displays of disrespect.' Jean-Claude nodded, thinking back to previous missions along side their southern allies. 'He could have waited for nightfall, stolen Johnson's bayonet and gone after Ennis in retribution. We know honour is important to them, what Ennis did was a great dishonour.'

'Let's not go stirrin' up any more trouble today. If he did it, the CID investigation will prove it. I feel bad enough about accusin' Johnson of this, I don't want to accuse anyone else without proof.' Rufus sighed, turning to Mother. 'And you should have mentioned this before we questioned Johnson.'

Emerging from the long grass after taking a personal minute, Veronique couldn't help but feel sorry for Johnson, sitting there in stunned silence beside Horne, struggling to accept that he was being blamed for the murder of Ennis. She felt a little better when she saw Percell approaching and hoped he might be able to help Johnson.

'Marvin, for what it's worth, I don't think you did it.' Danny offered, crouching in front of Johnson.

'Now ain't the time, Danny.' Johnson replied, his voice cold and angry.

'Well I just wanted to let…'

'Danny!'

'Have it your way.' Danny sighed, getting up and walking away.

'That sort of behaviour I would expect from anyone else but not you Johnson. Never from you.' Veronique shrugged, stepping past him. 'Danny, wait up a moment.'

'I didn't see you back there Veronique.' Danny grinned, waiting for her to catch up.

'Is alright Danny, I was trying to hide that time.' she replied, jogging up beside him and taking his hand. 'Do not let Johnson's foul mood get you down, he has forgotten the Delta promise. Whatever happens, Captain Knight will do all he can to protect Johnson from serious trouble. That is the Delta way.'

Heading back towards the main group, they were stopped short by Tucker when he stepped out from behind the long grass and put a hand on Percell's chest.

'what you doin' Percell?' he asked, glancing at Veronique. 'I have no qualms with you Renard.'

'I am not leaving.' Veronique replied, stepping closer to Danny.

'I'm sneaking around lookin' for someone to stab. Got any suggestions?' Danny replied, slipping his arm around Veronique's shoulders.

'You think it's funny, huh? A joke?' Tucker challenged, not really concerned by her presence but he was going to put Percell down if he kept talking like that.

'This outfit, this war, the whole damned things turned into a joke.' Danny scoffed, ready to defend Veronique if things got rough.

'I got no time to be fatmouthin' with some honkey and his girl.' tucker replied, looking down at the pair as he chewed on a stalk of grass.

'Hey look, take the time Tucker. Take the time. Do me a favour. Enlighten me to what this blackness is all about.' Danny shot back, his temper rising at the implications of that statement.

'Don't be pushin' me man.' Tucker warned, spitting out his grass.

'I ain't pushin', Tucker. Look, I'm just a hick from Montana. I hardly ever saw a black man 'til I joined the Army.' Danny replied, resting one hand against his chest.

'And I am a young woman from Paris. I never saw a black man outside of a photo until I moved to America. I never talked to one until I was chosen for Delta.' Veronique added, looking up at Tucker and hoping he understood.

'So what's your point?'

'My point is it seems to me that you all have had the short end of the stick for a long time. But why do you wish to turn your backs on people that have nothing against you.' Veronique replied, stunning Danny with her choice of words.

'Aw man.'

'Don't aw man us, Tucker. Tell us something.' Danny insisted, doing what he could to support Veronique against Tucker.

'What do you want? A little bedtime story about being poor and fightin' the rats for a bed. About seeing my father's spirit break and watchin' my mother turn into an old woman before she was 40. About doin' a tour in Nam and then goin' back home to the same old garbage.' Tucker replied, his words sending a dark feeling up Veronique's back.

'You think the world was gonna change?' Danny asked, drawing her closer as if he knew she was feeling down.

'I don't know what I thought, man. I went back proud to have done my duty for my country. Really thought I'd found a home in the Army.' Tucker continued, anger replaced by shame and confusion.

'What happened?' Veronique asked, taking a chance and reaching out to put a hand on his arm.

'Nothin', except maybe the rats got fatter. Man, I coulda died over here, fightin' in this white man's war. But back home, I ain't no better than dirt.' Tucker sighed, looking down to where her small hand rested on her forearm.

'So you came back here.' Danny surmised, also watching the way Veronique was trying to offer comfort and support to Tucker.

'That's 'cause I don't know where I belong no more.' Tucker replied, looking Danny in the eye. 'So forgive me if I can't let go of my hatred. I got nothin' else to hold on to.'

Settling down between Ruiz and Baker for breakfast, Libby slipped her helmet off and ran one hand through her hair before opening up her c-rat can and looking at the brown muck inside. Even after all this time in country, she still could hardly stomach the gross contents of their rations.

'Morning Libby.' Baker greeted, flashing her a grin s he peeled open his own breakfast.

'Mornin' Scott. It's nice to see someone smilin' for a change.' Libby replied, poking at her breakfast.

'Nothin' much worth smilin' about anymore.' Ruiz shrugged, leaning back against a tree. 'I can't believe the Lieutenants think Johnson did Ennis in like that.'

'I heard Sergeant Huguenot earlier, he's got the idea that it was our ARVN LT that did it but there's no proof. Johnson got it because it was his weapon but those CID guys will find the truth…I hope.' Libby nodded, careful to keep her voice down. 'But shhh, we're not meant to know that bit.'

Finally working up the courage, she started in on her breakfast, trying hard not to taste whatever was meant to be in the can. It tasted like vomit but she knew she had to eat it so she forced it down, chewing as little as possible. Footsteps behind her had her looking up from the food again, blue eyes hardening at the sight of one of Ennis' cronies coming their way.

'We gotta stick together guys. That Johnson's dangerous.'

'Johnson's the best soldier in this platoon.' Ruiz replied, resting a calming hand on Libby's arm before she did something she might regret.

'Yeah and he didn't kill that jerk either.' Baker agreed, barely glancing up from his food.

'That jerk was my buddy.'

'Point being? Johnson is our brother. Bound by Delta rules.' Libby replied, toying with her amulet.

'What are you Baker, a nigger lover?'

'No, he loves greasers. That's why we're partners.' Ruiz countered, glancing at Baker with a grin.

'Whose side are you on?'

'Not yours, asshole.' Libby scoffed, finally turning to him. 'When you're done with the bloods, you're probably gonna come after the spicks. Then it'll be the Jewish Lieutenant and the half-breeds in Delta. Probably surfers and Marines after that.'

'Well ain't that just…'

'Get outta here, man!' Baker demanded, getting to his feet quickly. 'This stuff's bringing me way down and I don't like it. So why don't you just di-di outta my area.'

'I'll be sure to tell Sergeant Newman that you're still goin' on with ya racial bullshit. I'm sure she'd be real happy to brand her knife into ya forehead. From what I hear, it's a real painful thing to endure.' Libby added, looking around quickly. 'She's just over there too. You mind goin' and gettin' her, Ruiz? She'd be real glad ya told her.'

Glancing in the direction Libby pointed, Ennis' buddy paled even more before he turned and bolted in the other direction, aiming to put as much ground between him and that crazy Sergeant as he possibly could. No way did he want her on his case.

'I coulda moved him on, Libby.' Scott groused, returning to his spot.

'Not without a fight, Scott. He was thinkin' about it, I could see the way his hand kept tightenin' down by his side. He wanted a go but he wasn't sure how he'd fare against all of us.' Libby shrugged, reaching out to squeeze his arm lightly. 'I wasn't gonna let ya get dragged into a fight with that white trash.'

'Everythin' alright over here?' Mother asked, crouching down beside the little group.

'Yeah Sarge, we're cool.' Ruiz nodded, deciding not to mention their close call.

'Alright, we're gonna get movin' soon so get ready.' Mother grinned, looking around at the trio for a moment before standing and moving away.

Gathering the Company again, the Sergeants took a few moments to make sure everyone was organised and settled, offering words of support and guidance as required to be certain everyone had their heads screwed on straight.

'Alright people, let's saddle up. Let's get it done.' Zeke called, loading his rifle and moving forward.

'Let's have no more trouble.' Jean-Claude added, adjusting his ammo belts and heading out.

Organising the last of his gear, Johnson was purposefully ignoring everyone around him, just trying to finish the mission before everything he'd tried to achieve was snatched away because of something he didn't do.

'Just wanted you to know that the brothers are behind you, man.' Tucker declared, coming up to him, all ready to go rain hell on some gooks.

'Maybe they can help find the guy that did Ennis.' Johnson replied, still stung that he was blamed for that. 'Look, in case you don't know, murder ain't my thing.'

'Just be cool, blood. We ain't gonna let you get railroaded.' Tucker promised, missing Johnson's mood cues and pushing too far.

'Hey look, do me a favour Tucker. Just stay outta my life, ya hear.' Johnson demanded, sick and tired of being pushed by Tucker.

'Ya partner's got not appreciation at all man.' Tucker remarked, glancing at Taylor beside him.

'That ain't true Tucker. Johnson appreciates the Delta brotherhood. We ain't interfering in his life but he knows when it comes down to it, we'll all put our lives on the line for him. He can't say the same for you. He knows you'll kill for him, he knows you were willing to frag Ennis for him. But he can't be sure you would catch a bullet so he can go home to his family. He knows anyone with a Delta stone made that promise to him and he counts on that promise every day.' Buck corrected, stopping behind Taylor. 'Get up the front Taylor, you're supposed to be on point.'

'On it Sarge.' Taylor nodded, hustling away and leaving Tucker alone.

'I hear you stirrin' up trouble for Johnson again or tryin' to pull Taylor away from his Delta promise and I'll have you transferred to the DMZ, got it?' Buck warned, shoving Tucker out of his way and hustling to join his platoon.

Finally, after all the hurdles to make it this far and all the tension over this racial crap, they made it to the target ville. Hunkered down in the grass just to the south of the ville, the three Lieutenants knew what had to be done, it was now a matter of getting in and grabbing any prisoners and intelligence they could capture.

'Yeah, they're gettin' real confident now.' Mother remarked, peering at the ville through the long grass protecting them.

'We're gonna have to block off that far corner.' Zeke added, pointing it out to the Lieutenants.

'Yeah, yeah. Horne.' Shane nodded, reaching for the radio. 'Horne.'

Crouched nearby, Rufus scanned the village slowly, looking for trouble spots and plotting out the best way to get their company into position to give them the best chance of capturing a good number of prisoners.

'Let me do it, Scarecrow. I can see a bit more than you.' he uttered, watching the NVA soldiers moving through the ville.

'Go for it Rufus.' Myron nodded, moving back so Horne could move into position.

'Tiger 6, this is Delta 4-6, over.' Rufus called, ducking back into the grass so he wasn't seen.

"Roger, 4-6."

'6, I want you to block on the east. We'll some in on the south and west. Go.' Rufus briefed, glancing at his fellow Lieutenants and trusting them to get the message.

"Roger, 4-6. We come when you need us."

Getting the plan and understanding what Rufus was trying to do, Myron turned to their Sergeants, watching them for any indications that the men weren't ready for the battle ahead. There was no sign from any of them though, the mission was a go and the men were ready.

'Alright, I'll take third platoon and head around to the west. Shane will take first platoon and sweet around to the south. We'll just head on in, and let's take some prisoners.' Myron directed, trusting their Sergeants to get the plan and make it work.

'If they'll let us.' Buck replied, moving back to organise first platoon.

'That'll be the day.' Mother sighed, disappearing to round up third platoon with Zeke.

Gathering second platoon around him, Rufus tipped his helmet back a little and pressed his binoculars to his eyes, sweeping the ville slowly. The NVA troops in the ville weren't even trying to hide their presence, wandering around the ville with rifles to hand and talking to the locals.

'How bad is it, LT?' Jean-Claude asked, taking a knee beside him.

'Just from what I can see, I'm guessin' we've got a Company of NVA hangin' out in there. This ain't gonna be pretty, whatever happens.' Rufus replied, glancing around at his men. 'We give Schofield and Goldman a few minutes to get into position and then we move out.'

Listening closely, one 16 hanging over his back and the other pressed to his shoulder in readiness, Rufus waited for confirmation from his fellow Lieutenants that they were in position. Off to the left he heard the sweet song of a bird, the call familiar from practises in their tent. That was a goldbird, a particular birdsong that only Myron could produce. Then Rufus heard the return from his right, Shane's confirmation that he was in position. Lowering his rifle a little, Rufus whistled to them both, blending their calls to make his own unique bird call.

Signals given, the three Lieutenants moved as one, harmony in motion as they closed on the ville. This was why they spent so much time hidden away together, working on signals and secret communications for the field. To anyone else, the bird songs meant nothing at all but for them, a single call could tell the others everything they needed to know.

Out on the west flank, Mother snarled silently as she caught Tucker teasing the white man in front of him. It was another of Ennis' cronies but that didn't matter. Right now Tucker was meant to be focused on the enemy, not this racial crap. Silently, she released her K-bar and crept up behind Tucker, giving him a warning jab in the back of the leg.

'Knock that shit off Tucker.' she hissed, jabbing him again before putting her knife away. 'Save ya anger for the real enemy.'

Startling everyone, the guy in front of Tucker went down with a scream of pain, fresh blood marking deadly punji stakes hidden among the grass. Lunging forward, Mother clamped a hand over his mouth and eased him down, their cover blown now all because someone wasn't paying attention to their surrounds.

'Watch it, punji stakes.' someone hissed, sending the rest of the platoon around the danger as Mother looked around for a medic. Veronique was soon there, whispering soft words of comfort as she tended to the wounded man.

'That sucker's gonna di-di. Go!' Percell called, taking shelter behind a suitable tree and opening fire on the fleeing NVA troops.

'Keep him quiet, Renard. We're in deep now.' Mother uttered, grabbing up her rifle and racing forward to help Zeke and Myron deal with the trouble.

They could hear the screams of the dying as the NVA cut apart Lieutenant Minh's forces over on the east, the sharp rattle of AK-47 fire unmistakeable under the roar of enemy machine gun fire from one of the hooches. Staying low, Mother kept on running until she caught up with Zeke and scrambled into the cover of a small copse of trees just near the ville.

'There must be tunnels in the hooches! Taylor!' Zeke called, rolling onto his back in the hollow formed by the roots of one tree.

Hustling up to join his Sergeants, Taylor lined up his blooper on one of the hooches and fired, blowing his selected building to pieces and setting off one hell of a fireball of combustible materials, adding to the chaos of the fight.

'Nice shot Taylor.' Mother nodded, nudging him with one foot. 'Alright, I want teams of two on the hooches. Keep your eye peeled, there's probably NVA in there.'

'Alright, Tucker, Percell!' Zeke continued, better able to see the hooches and plan the attack. 'You start down the left. Johnson, Wall! You got the middle! Taylor, Hall, up top there! Let's move!'

A cold silence descended over the group, no one moving forward to follow Zeke's orders. Instead they all crouched there, looking at each other with mistrust and discontent in their eyes.

'He said move it! What in the hell is wrong with you!' Mother roared, rolling over and shoving Percell sharply.

'Can't you see, Sarge? Nobody in this outfit wants their back to anybody else.' Johnson replied, anger flaring bright for a moment. 'I say the hell with ya'll.'

Leaving Mother and Zeke stunned, Johnson broke cover and charged the ville alone, hunting up any remaining NVA and protecting the downed ARVN men just near the ville. Seconds later Percell raced out after him, nailing one NVA gook before he could put a few rounds in Johnson's back.

'That's the Delta bind. Ain't nothin' anyone can offer to top it.' Mother nodded, patting Zeke on the butt before scrambling out and rushing the ville, standing with her Delta brothers against all that would try to harm them.

Sparing one last look back at the men still sheltering in among the trees, Zeke swore and took off after Mother, refusing to let her go and do something stupid or heroic without him there to share in the action. He could only hope the Lieutenant was paying attention and considering calling in someone for sone support. Artillery would be good but Zeke would take tac-air if that was all they had available.

Diving and rolling in beside one of the hooches for cover, Mother flipped onto her back and hooked Danny's ankle, dropping him down beside her.

'Stay down. If we move they'll kill us.' she warned, pointing back over her shoulder to the NVA troops just in the tree line. 'I'll get the LT to call in artillery.'

'How? He's all the way over there?' Danny asked, looking over to where Goldman was pressed up against a tree, Horne sheltered beside him.

'Like this.' Mother replied, resting her M16 on her chest. Sticking two fingers in her mouth she whistled a long, sharp note, wavering it slightly at the end.

To Danny's surprise, Goldman looked their way and nodded, reaching down to Horne for the radio. From this distance Danny couldn't hear what was said but he certainly felt it when the arty fire came raining down around the ville, tearing through the tree line and silencing much of the enemy fire around them.

'You gotta learn the whistle code Danny, it'll save ya a lotta trouble.' Mother grinned, hugging the ground and waiting for the artillery to stop falling around them.

The battle over for now, the Company gathered in the middle of the abandoned ville, automatically falling back into their little racial groups again. Just the sight of the still existing racial lines made the Lieutenants sick to their stomachs, the added frustration of losing the enemy and failing in their objectives only made things worse.

Standing between his more experiences friends, Myron idly tipped rice from a woven bag into his hand them let it trickle past his fingers to spill onto the ground. He needed a few seconds to cool his mind before he just out and shot the main troublemakers around them.

'nothin'. We had 'em and now we got nothin'.' Myron growled, throwing the bag to the ground.

'And where the hell were you guys, huh?' Shane asked, turning his angry gaze to Tucker. 'I'll tell you somethin', I'm ashamed to have you guys in our command.'

'Not only did we lose the Intelligence, we lost the enemy.' Rufus added, not sure whether he should lave at the stupidity of their situation or knock a few heads off in frustration. 'And you know what. While you guys were wagin' your private little war, these guys got greased.'

'If the honkey was lookin' instead of bein' a cry baby none of this woulda happened.' Tucker replied, pinning the blame on someone else as normal.

'I suppose you wouldn't have said a word if you got stuck.'

'In the first place, I wouldn't have been dumb enough to get stuck.' Tucker replied, nothing but disdain in his eyes as he looked down at the wounded man. 'And I wouldn't have screamed if I had.'

'Reckon animals don't feel pain like real people.'

'You owe…'

'Shut up! Just shut up!' Rufus snapped, stepping forward and backhanding Tucker as hard as he could, knocking him to the ground.

'Will ya listen to what we're sayin' here? Or are ya too thick? Now why, huh, why are ya doin' this?' Shane barked, pushing his sunglasses up quickly.

''cause it's the truth.' Tucker replied, getting back to his feet.

'No, the truth is you don't wanna see anybody get along. Give you nothin' to complain about.' Myron shot back, sick and tired of this crap.

'Now how can I trust you dudes when you gonna hang Johnson out to dry.' Tucker responded, his temper flaring again.

'Johnson is not hung yet. And we're gonna make sure he gets a fair trial.' Myron continued, putting a restraining hand on Rufus' arm.

'Oh, white man's justice.'

'You know what, Tucker. There is no room here for what you're spreadin'. One more time, that's one more time for all of ya, and you're all gonna be hung out to dry.' Shane replied, looking around at their men.

'No Tucker, Delta justice. For so long as I wear this stone, the symbol of this proud and unique unit in which I serve, I will stand united with all my brothers and sisters that fight with the blue stone of Delta shining at their throats. Whatever their story, their background, their MOS or their colour, I will defend my brothers and sisters as they will defend me until we are all returned to our home soils and walk once more on the streets of America.' Rufus added, tracing one finger over the small stone he wore. 'Johnson is still part of that promise and anyone that tries to take him from Delta will face the whole Delta Company. From the Captain to the Privates, we all stand with Johnson!'

'Yeah!' up went the chorus, every Delta man and woman in the ville putting their support behind Johnson and his troubles.

'You got nothin' that comes close to that, Tucker.' Shane nodded, turning and following Myron out of the gathering.

Making it back to base, Rufus got the short straw to tell the Captain about their screw up out in the bush while everyone else got a chance to relax and clean up after a hard day. There was still a fair bit of tension in the group but the officers were hoping it would settle down again now that everyone was back on Ladybird. Chances were slim but they had to hold onto hope or this war would mean nothing.

In one of the enlisted tents, some of the Delta gang were just finishing up cleaning their weapons while a few wrote home or just relaxed on their cots, thinking about the mission they'd failed.

'Man, the Captain is gonna do his block when he hears all about this one.' Libby sighed, scratching at her hair.

'It's not our fault, Libby. We tried, it's this racial shit that made us fail.' Ruiz replied, resting a hand on her shoulder as he deposited a bandoleer of M60 ammo on the table beside her cot.

'And the forgettin' of Delta promises.' Libby nodded, purposefully ignoring Taylor's comments.

'We may have to attend to business.' Tucker remarked, his words aimed at Taylor but he was making no secret of his feelings.

'Hey, what are you man, chairman of the board or something?' Ruiz asked, sinking down to sit beside Libby.

'I'm just lookin' out for my own people.' Tucker replied, turning his attention to Ruiz.

'Well your jive is wearin' real thin.' Libby shrugged, resting her head on Ru's shoulder.

'You know, when the war comes, what side are you gonna put me on?' Ruiz asked, slipping an arm around Libby's back and letting her rest on him.

'Yeah, and what about me?' Matsuda added, looking up from his letter writing as Zeke and Jean-Claude walked into the tent.

'Yo Johnson.' Zeke called, looking down at the young man relaxing on his cot.

'Yeah, Sarge.' Johnson replied, looking up at the pair.

'Get your stuff.' Zeke directed, apologies in his bright blue eyes.

'Where you takin' him?' Tucker asked, not looking up at the pair.

'You got the need to know soldier?' Jean-Claude countered, resting his hands on his 60's, secure against his hips.

'I gotta need to find out.' Tucker replied, getting to his feet. 'Brothers are lookin' after brothers from now on.'

'C'mon Sarge, you know Johnson ain't did nothin'.' Taylor added, getting in one last attempt at defending Johnson.

'You know as well as I do Taylor that we are only following orders here.' Zeke replied, stepping aside for Jean-Claude.

'And as for your demand, Tucker. Consider it denied. Johnson isn't yours to claim, he's Delta and that puts him out of your reach.' Jean-Claude nodded, shoving Tucker down and turning his gaze to Taylor. 'And Taylor, you're in it neck deep with Captain Knight. He's seriously considering removing you from Delta since you cannot seem to hold to the promises you made when that stone was placed around your neck.'

Slipping one arm around Johnson's shoulders, Jean-Claude ushered him from the tent, eyes daring Tucker to try and intervene in what was going on.

'You think Taylor got the message this time?' Zeke asked, following Jean-Claude back across the camp. 'I'd hate to see him kicked out of Delta.'

'He's got to make his own choice Zeke. But if he continues to break his promises, the choice will be taken from him.' Jean-Claude replied, dropping his arm and looking back to make sure Tucker got the message. 'We can only hope he makes the right call.'

'Alright look Marvin, we'll get this whole mess cleared up and we're gonna get you back to soldierin' like you oughta be.' Zeke guided, coming up beside Johnson.

'You ain't gotta fake it Sarge, I'm in up to my neck, ain't I?' Johnson sighed, walking calmly between his seniors.

'They don't have a witness.' Jean-Claude replied, trying to calm him down.

'They got a weapon. And I'm an easy body to hang it on.' Johnson corrected, seeing only the bad in this situation.

Stepping into the CP bunker, the Sergeants moved aside as Johnson saluted and reported to Captain Knight as was appropriate. He really was trying to avoid serious trouble but he'd lost all hope of staying with Delta.

'I'm sorry Johnson, I wish there was something I could do but I have my orders.' Aloysius sighed, looking up at him.

'So what happens next?' Johnson asked, trying to face this with dignity and courage.

'You stay in the CP tonight. Tomorrow, one of us will go with you on a chopper ride down to Brigade.' Shane replied, getting up off the cot in the corner and coming forward.

'I am sorry about this Johnson.' Aloysius added, getting to his feet. 'But once the CID gets into this stuff, it's outta my hands. I have to follow procedure.'

'Yes, Sir.' Johnson nodded, reaching for his Delta stone.

'Keep that on for now. I might not be able to do anything now but the Delta promise stands. We won't leave you alone in this, you are still one of us and we will stand with you. If CID tries to take you away, I will use what influence I have to see you avoid hard time. I might not be able to protect you from all of the troubles that come but I'll do my best.' Aloysius offered, not sure if it would help but he had to try. 'Lieutenant.'

Stepping forward again, Shane reached out and curled his fingers around Johnson' M16, popping it from his grip gently. He hated having to do this to Johnson of all people but orders were orders and he'd gotten the short straw to have to handle this part of their duties. Tomorrow would likely fall to Myron, if he was feeling up to it or Rufus would do it. Shane could avoid that trip, he had guard duty tonight.

'Any word on Taylor's choice?' Aloysius asked, turning his attention to Zeke and Jean-Claude as Shane guided Johnson to the cot in the corner.

'We gave him the warning but he gave no sign of which way he would turn. Tucker has him under a spell, we might not have a choice.' Jean-Claude shrugged, adjusting his M60's and turning to look outside. 'We just have to wait and see.'

Shocked by the report that Danny brought back after he tried to talk some sense into Tucker and Taylor in particular, Zeke stepped out of the CP and put up a whistle call, the long, high note echoing out across Ladybird. Several, short notes came back and he nodded, stepping back into the shadows of the tent as he waited.

From all over the camp they came, Delta men and women gathering around the CP and preparing to defend their own against the double threat of Tucker and the white men that would inevitably come once word got out that Tucker was stirring up the bloods to come and take Johnson back. The Sergeants slipped into the CP, waiting in the dim light until all of the sides in this war turned up on the battleground.

Right on time, the other sides of this fight came into view, guns to hand as the headed for the CP. None of them seemed to care about the Delta personnel gathered around the CP, blacks and whites were up on their high horses and neither side was going to back down until everyone on the other side was dead. They didn't give a damn who got caught in the crossfire, blood was boiling and it was all going to explode today.

Standing shoulder to shoulder, the Delta people carried no weapons but their fists, their strength came from their numbers and their brotherhood written in blue stones on black cords. No one would get past them, they simply would not allow such a thing to happen.

'Listen up whiteys! We want Johnson out here now!' Tucker called, bringing his blacks to a stop outside the CP.

'The murderer stays where he is, Tucker. You ain't the law around here.' Allan replied, his whites standing behind him.

'Only law I see around here is a bunch of honkeys. We the law for black folks now.' Tucker countered, refusing to back down. 'You get in the way, you pay the price.'

'Go ahead on. C'mon. It's got to happen sooner or later.' Allan taunted, stepping forward a little more. 'Truth is, I'd rather shoot you all than the gooks.'

'Suits me just fine, boy. Or maybe you'd like us to turn our backs first. Ain't that the way it's always been?' Tucker shot back, shifting his grip on his rifle.

'Ennis is the one your boys got in the back.'

'Hey!' Zeke roared, storming out of the CP with his helmet in hand and his fellow Sergeants following him out.

Forming up behind Zeke, the four Sergeants put out an aura of deadly confidence, making it damn clear that right now, they were in charge and they weren't going to stand for any more of this bullshit. They were completely fed up with the constant bickering and right here they were going to make a stand.

'Now you listen up. The only people that you're gonna be fightin' are the NVA that you let get away this mornin'.' Zeke growled, looking around at the black men.

'Tell you the honest to god truth. Just looking at you pukes gives me a real bad case of the jaws.' Buck added, glaring at the whites on the other side.

'We come to get Johnson back.' Tucker demanded, holding his ground against the anger of the Sergeants in front of him.

'You did, did you?' Jean-Claude asked, not really surprised that Tucker hadn't taken the warning.

'Yeah. And we aim to take him back.' Tucker replied, moving around in front of Zeke.

'Well ya got a little problem Tucker. Ya want Johnson, you're gonna have to come through us.' Mother declared, standing tall beside Zeke. 'So you c'mon on now.'

Tucker and Allan both stepped forward, one to take Johnson and the other to stop an accused murderer from being released. Almost like it was planned, Mother and Zeke tossed bandoleers of M16 magazines at the pair, Mother getting Allan and Zeke distracting Tucker. Catching the bandoleers as was human nature left both men open and the Sergeants leapt on the chance, swinging their helmets in matching arcs and clobbering the pair into the dirt.

'Not in our platoon!' Zeke roared, standing over the downed man.

'Not in our Company!' Mother agreed, daring anyone else to try it.

'This is where we live and we will do anything necessary to stop this! You take this garbage someplace else.' Buck spat, stepping up beside Mother.

'Taylor. I'm real disappointed in you son. Real disappointed. You had a chance to redeem yourself but instead you chose to run with this rabble.' Jean-Claude sighed, stepping past Zeke and grabbing the stone hanging around Taylor's neck. 'Obviously you'd rather be with Tucker than Delta. So we release you from your promise and wish you the best of luck.'

Taylor didn't say anything, there was nothing left to say as his Delta stone was pulled loose and lifted off his neck, war scarred hands treating it with such respect. Leaving the cord long, Jean-Claude twisted it around his fingers and brushed an honour kiss across the surface before slipping it in his pocket for safe keeping.

'Hear me, Delta Company! Marcus Taylor is no longer one of us! He has chosen to turn his back on his Delta promise and after three warnings has not amended his ways. So he walks alone now, abandoned by those willing to catch a bullet for him. A moment of silence for a brother we can no longer carry onward.' Buck called, bowing his head in respect for a Delta man no longer on the list.

Slowly Tucker and Allan got to their feet, looking at the Sergeants in disbelief and confusion as Taylor absently rubbed his neck where his stone used to belong.

'What about Johnson?' Tucker asked, getting right back to why they were all here.

'He's innocent.' Zeke replied, lifting his gaze slowly.

'You heard him. He's innocent.' Mother nodded, resting one hand on Zeke's shoulder.

'Tam, the little ARVN soldier that Ennis messed with. They found his fingerprints on the bayonet. The Captain and the LT's are with him right now.' Jean-Claude added, stepping forward to solidify their line.

'Tam?' Taylor asked, stunned by the revelation.

'Yes, the little guy that Ennis gave the cigarette to.' Buck confirmed, coming up beside Mother.

'You watch your manners gentlemen.' Zeke guided, turning and heading back into the CP.

'I have no doubt the Captain will want to speak with you, Taylor.' Jean-Claude hissed, ushering the other Sergeants into the CP and closing the flap behind them.

With the morning, things were pretty much back to normal again. Tucker was transferring out of the area, leaving behind a lasting memory of his time on Ladybird. It was a bit of a shame to see him go, he was a hell of a good soldier and the men of Bravo respected and looked up to him even though he'd been a Delta wannabe. But he was moving on to a different job, heading into a long range recon unit and leaving the troubles of Ladybird behind.

Maybe with Tucker moving on and Ennis dead, the problems would settle for a while but they all knew this wasn't the end of their troubles. Hopefully next time though, they would be better equipped to deal with a racial flare up and maybe, just maybe, they wouldn't be forced to drop another good Delta man for making the wrong choices. No one was really holding out a lot of hope that things would never go this bad on them again but chances were that this would happen again.

Standing together, looking up at the chopper leaving with Tucker, Mother spared a glance at Zeke before slinging an arm around his shoulders and pulling him closer.

'Let it go Zeke, it don't mean nothin'. He ain't right for Delta, that's been obvious from the start. Let him go, we're better off with men we know are good enough.' she grinned, resting their heads together lightly.

'I'm more thinkin' what are we gonna do about Taylor.' Zeke sighed, relaxing into her strength a little more.

'It's outta our hands now Zeke. If Taylor wants back in, he's gonna have to prove to the Captain that he's worthy of getting back a Delta stone. If Knight don't believe it, Taylor's out permanently.' Mother shrugged, drawing Zeke away from the flight line. 'c'mon, we've got another mission briefing to attend with the LT's.'

'Yeah, I guess. There will always be others but so long as I've got my real friends, I'll make it through.' Zeke nodded, saying nothing when Mother took him by the hand and guided him away.


	6. Ch 6 - Delta Promises

Thinking about the occasional bickering that still broke out among his Delta people and Taylor's two failed attempts to prove that he was worthy of rejoining Delta, Aloysius toyed idly with his own stone and considered just what to do about all of it. He wanted Taylor back in the ranks but he couldn't be seen as soft on him after all the hell he put wannabes through before accepting them. He couldn't let it look as though he was letting Taylor slip in just because he'd already been through Delta initiation once.

Leaving his desk, he walked over to Rusty's empty helmet, eyes drawn to the stone hanging around it now. Jean-Claude had put it there, leaving the cord purposefully long so it hung neatly over the helmet like it belonged there. Originally it had belonged to one of their pig gunners but Aloysius had chosen to give this stone to Taylor, remembering the loyalty of Russell Jones and seeing the same quality in Taylor.

Resting his hand on the helmet, Aloysius ducked his head as he considered his options, weighing up the pros and cons of simply bringing Taylor back into the Company. He'd paid his dues, struggled to adjust after two failed attempts to pass Delta qualifications and even gone so far as to get down on his knees and beg forgiveness for his mistakes.

"Forgive him, we all make mistakes." Rusty's voice came unbidden, whispering across Aloysius' mind and telling him what he'd thought all along. "He was hurt and angry, no need to punish him anymore. Bring him home."

'I still wish I could bring you home, Rusty.' Aloysius whispered, stroking over the helmet. 'My only failure to date, I will forever be burdened by that error.'

"So don't keep Taylor out in the dark. He deserves to be brought home, before you lose him." Rusty's voice was so full of conviction and belief, propping up Aloysius when he couldn't believe in his own leadership abilities anymore.

Making the choice, Aloysius lifted the stone from the helmet, turning it over in his hand as he made sure he could life with this choice. It scared him a little that he was putting such faith in a voice in his head but he was driven to try and find something to help him stay strong. If a voice in his head worked, who was he to argue with his own mind?

Heads snapping up at the long unheard Delta call, every man and woman of the Company scrambled to grab their gear and bolt to answer the call, whistling back confirmations that they were coming. Another sharp, trilling call and Buck changed direction, slipping away from the other Sergeants even as he gave a piercing whistle back.

For a few haunting moments, Firebase Ladybird rang not with the sounds of battle but with the sounds of an experimental unit locating and identifying each other. Over the last couple of weeks they'd been spending time making sure every member of the Company had their own unique response call, practising them over and over again until everyone could respond promptly and clearly too any command whistle.

Ringing out over all of the other ID calls, Captain Knight's locator whistle sent the air vibrating with power and control, giving his troops an indication that everything was going to soon be sorted out again. His call was reassuring to the Company, it had been too long since their Captain had called for a full Company gathering, his ID unmistakeable on the wind.

From all across the base they came, racing to the CP and forming up around Aloysius as he stood upon an ammo crate, the familiar ammo can full of Delta stones resting beside his feet as he called again for his Delta people to gather around him. He smiled at the sight of so many of his people coming to him, forming up around their Captain and waiting for instructions.

Looking around slowly as the last stragglers caught up with the group, Aloysius nodded and squared his shoulders, scanning the crowd and waiting for his men to settle into their gathering a little more. This had to be done, it had been too long since Delta had stood as one and reaffirmed their promises and oaths not only to each other but to their country.

'My brothers and sisters, today marks three years since Delta Company was first created and placed under my command. Three years of blood, sweat and occasional tears as we learned about each other and tried to figure out how to make Delta the best unit in this conflict. As we gather to mark this anniversary, let us first pause to remember the victims of the Delta Company Massacre, 172 good men and women that made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom and democracy.' Aloysius announced, reaching into his pocket for the list he always carried.

Straightening their ranks and coming to attention, the rebuilt Delta Company raised their hands in a salute as their Captain recited the 172 names of the original Delta that were no longer around to witness what their unit was becoming. As certain names were read, various members of the unit would bring their other hand up to the stones they wore, reaffirming the legacy that they carried.

Reaching the end of the list, Aloysius folded it again and tucked it back in his pocket even as he recited the names of those they had lost since the reforming of Delta. He choked for a moment on Rusty's name but he got there, finishing the list and bowing his head for a few moments. Everyone was silent; thoughts drifting to those that had gone before them.

'Over the course of today, we will pause to reaffirm our promises and look to the future of our grant Company as we strive to survive the harsh realities of this war. But right now, I wish to welcome back a brother that went AWOL on us. Taylor, come up here and be recognised.' Aloysius nodded, stepping down of the crate and moving to the side.

Stunned by the applause that broke out from the Delta people, Taylor made his way up from where he'd been standing beside Buck and stepped up onto the crate, looking out over his friends. Then Aloysius was beside him again, a strong hand resting on his shoulder.

'Marcus Taylor, in front of your potential Delta brothers and sisters, make your promises known. Stand up and be counted as one of us again.' Aloysius coaxed, holding up the stone that had been hanging from Rusty's helmet.

'I stand ready to become a fully integrated member of Delta Company, another dedicated warrior serving a greater cause beside a Captain that sees each Delta person as someone truly special. I stand ready to defend my Delta family with all that I am, never giving up or turning my back on Delta Company until we are all finished with this war. Whatever their story, their background or their colour, I will defend my brothers and sisters as they will defend me until we are all returned to our home soils and walk once more on the streets of America. I will not only defend them against the threats from our enemies out beyond the wire but I will stand with them against any that would see Delta torn apart. As a member of Delta, I understand that I may be called upon to take a bullet to protect one of my brothers or sisters. I accept that I might be the one to sacrifice my life and my health to protect the legacy of our Company. I acknowledge that I might have to be the one kneeling in the blood of a fellow Delta member and be their anchor as the light fades and another life is lost from our ranks. I stand here and I swear on my honour that I will be an upstanding, dignified and courageous member of Delta. I will never accept a Delta defeat. I will never quit on Delta. I will never leave a fallen comrade.' Taylor declared, reciting the same promises he'd made the first time Aloysius placed the blue stone around his neck.

Smiling proudly, Aloysius came around to stand in front of Taylor, reaching up to slip the black cord over Taylor's head again.

'Delta Company welcomes you, Marcus Taylor. Hold your head up high; you are part of something truly special now.' Aloysius nodded, snugging up the cord and making sure the stone was positioned correctly.

'For so long as I wear this stone, the symbol of this proud and unique unit in which I serve, I will stand united with all my brothers and sisters that fight with the blue stone of Delta shining at their throats.' Taylor announced, so glad that he'd finally been welcomed back into the team where he belonged. He hated being out in the cold, separated from his Delta people.

'Welcome home my brother.' Aloysius grinned, stepping back as Taylor stepped down off the crate.

'Thank you, my brother.' Taylor replied, embracing Aloysius warmly for a moment before returning to the ranks, slotting in among his friends like he'd never been apart.

Stepping back up onto the crate, Aloysius held his hands up for calm again, the plan coming to him easily now that he was comfortable with what was going on. His reservations were gone; this was the right thing to do. Delta needed stability and a fresh promise to stand united.

'my brothers and sisters, for too long the promises made on American soil have gone unfulfilled, words spoken in harmony by a full Company now hang limp and empty, abandoned by those that were supposed to uphold the legacy of Delta. So I want you all to go back to your cots, find your cleanest fatigues and make a real effort to clean up and look as presentable as you possibly can. This might not be the clean base where this was first done but we'll make it work. I expect to see all of you out on the parage ground in one hour looking the best you can pull off. I'm not too worried if you don't shave or shower but at least wash your faces and put on the cleanest gear you have.' Aloysius called, jumping down and picking up the ammunition can before walking away.

'What do ya suppose he meant by that?' Zeke asked, turning to look at Mother.

'With Captain Knight, there's no way to be sure. All we can do is follow orders and wait to find out.' Buck shrugged, heading for his cot to find something clean to wear.

'He could be planning anything from a modified induction ceremony to a full swearing in ceremony.' Jean-Claude added, thinking back to when he was welcomed into Delta.

Gathering on the parade ground, rifles to hand and looking the best many of them had in months, Delta Company completely ignored the Bravo men that had gathered around the edges of this display, everyone interested to see what was going on. No one knew for certain what Captain Knight had planned, they could only guess that it was something big considering it was three years since Delta had been first put together.

Standing with third platoon, Myron glanced down at the cards Aloysius had handed him just a few minutes ago. He'd been told to keep one and pass the rest around to the men. Each was about the size of a postcard, covered on both sides with writing. Myron recognised some of what was written but some of it was a mystery to him.

'Take one pass it on.' he guided, slipping the top card off the pile and handing the rest to Zeke.

'Take one and pass the pile.' Zeke repeated, handing the bundle on and looking at the card in his hand. 'What's this all about?'

'No idea, Zeke.' Myron shrugged, also looking at the card.

Zeke tapped his shoulder a couple of minutes later, handing back a few extras that hadn't been needed by the men. Nodding slowly, Myron took the remainder and tucked them in his pocket before turning his attention back to Aloysius, waiting patiently for an explanation.

'three years ago, the original Delta Company gathered as one for the first time and reaffirmed their oaths of service, taking their first step towards complete unification as a new type of military unit. Here today, the new Delta Company will do the same to solidify our unity as a very special kind of military unit. Now, I realise that for some of you, the day you took these oaths for the first time seems like a lifetime ago and in some cases it is so I took the liberty of organising the ready reckoners that the Lieutenants have handed around. The cards are all the same, covering every situation in Delta so there will be oaths and creeds that don't apply to certain people.' Aloysius explained, looking across the sea of faces and smiling softly. 'Lieutenants, step forward.'

Looking down at the card in his hand again, Myron stepped up to stand beside Rufus, Shane coming up on Rufus' right. Looking up at Aloysius, Myron started to understand a little more about Delta Company and why it was spoken about with such respect. It wasn't just a military unit under the command of a Captain with some serious charisma and an attitude that demanded respect; it really was a family, built on friendship and mutual trust but a family nonetheless.

For a breath there was silence before the three junior officers turned to their men and came to attention, taking their responsibilities seriously and seeing why Aloysius was making such a spectacle of this. It wasn't just about remembering Delta's past, it was about making promises to the men, promises to take care of them against all comers.

'I, Myron Goldman, do solemnly affirm that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.' Myron recited, amazed by how right it felt to recite the oath again, standing with his friends and looking at the men and women that he'd come to see as his Delta-siblings. Even the strange, separated echo as different names were fitted into the oath seemed right, linking them together as only brothers could be linked.

On Aloysius' signal, the Lieutenants returned to their platoons but they didn't turn to face Knight again, instead they stood and waited to witness the returning oath from the enlisted personnel. Myron tried to spread his focus to his full platoon but he was most interested in hearing Zeke's oath of enlistment, furthering their connection.

'I, Clayton Ezekiel Anderson, do solemnly affirm that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.' Zeke looked right at Myron as he spoke, understanding shining in his blue eyes. For Zeke, his promise was aimed straight at Myron first and Delta second.

Turning on their heels, the Lieutenants returned their attention to Aloysius as he straightened his shirt and cast his shaded gaze across the Company.

'Corporal Champion and Sergeant Huguenot; step forward and be recognized. Despite your tentative immigration status, you both chose to leave American soil and join Delta in this military action far from your birthplace and new residences. As far as I am concerned, you are as American any anyone else on this base and as such, I call upon you to give your oath of allegiance to America.' Aloysius nodded, knowing full well that this wouldn't be considered official but it was good enough.

Relaxed beside Zeke, Myron couldn't wipe the smile off his face as the two French soldiers came forward and turned to face the Company. They were such a study of contrasts, compact and lithe Veronique shadowed by Jean-Claude's taller, heavily muscled frame. The medic and the heavy gunner, healer and killer from a country far away but still worthy of Knight's attentions.

'I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform non-combatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.'

Up went a great cheer from Delta Company and Myron was swept up in it, welcoming the two newest Americans into the ranks properly. It was still nothing official but to the men and women of Delta, just hearing the oath of allegiance was enough to bind these two to the Company for the rest of their lives.

'Now you really are official. The law back in the world is a different matter but right here and onwards into the future, you are American citizens and you are Delta soldiers now.' Aloysius praised, hands resting on their shoulders. 'Go on, your family wants to welcome you home. We have all waited too long for you to both become official.'

Spotting Rufus and Shane moving forward, Myron followed them up, not exactly sure what was going on but it felt so natural. Slipping behind Rufus, Myron drew Veronique into his arms and held her close, feeling her relax into his embrace.

'Welcome home, my sister.' Myron uttered, cupping her head lightly in one hand.

'Merci, dear brother.' she replied, drawing away a little to look up at him. 'I have something for you; I'll find you when this ceremony is over.'

'I'll be in my tent…reports.' Myron nodded, passing her off to Shane and looking up at Jean-Claude. 'Welcome home, brother.'

'Merci, brother.' Jean-Claude replied, shaking the offered hand warmly before curling one powerful arm around Myron's back. For the briefest moment Myron was concerned about being completely surrounded by Jean-Claude's strength but he quickly relaxed, no more threatened by the big Frenchman than Zeke.

It took a while but eventually the gathering calmed again, only after the two newest Americans in the team were welcomed personally by every member of Delta that was present. Only once they had been to everyone did they return to their places, slotting back into the ranks and proving that they belonged with Delta.

'Delta has come to mean a blend of cultures, training and backgrounds. We all have our own beliefs, customs and rituals. I look out across my Company today and it does my heart good to see so many people from different walks of life standing together, united under the Delta flag. Marines and soldiers standing as one, a truly integrated team of deadly warriors let loose upon the enemy.' Aloysius grinned, letting his shoulders droop a little.

Myron wasn't sure what drove him to do it as he straightened up and flipped over the card in his hand. Aloysius was watching him, a little grin just lifting the corner of his mouth as he waited for whatever was going to happen. Head held high, Myron paused a moment before forging ahead, throwing caution to the wind and giving over to the feeling in his heart.

'I am an American Soldier. I am a member of the United States Army – a protector of the greatest nation on earth.' he started, voices of his Delta family rising with him once they realised what he was doing and it sounded so good. 'Because I am proud of the uniform I wear, I will always act in ways creditable to the military service and the nation it is sworn to guard. I am proud of my own organization. I will do all I can to make it the finest unit in the Army. I will be loyal to those under whom I serve. I will do my full part to carry out orders and instructions given to me or my unit. As a soldier, I realize that I am a member of a time-honoured profession—that I am doing my share to keep alive the principles of freedom for which my country stands. No matter what the situation I am in, I will never do anything, for pleasure, profit, or personal safety, which will disgrace my uniform, my unit, or my country. I will use every means I have, even beyond the line of duty, to restrain my Army comrades from actions disgraceful to themselves and to the uniform. I am proud of my country and its flag. I will try to make the people of this nation proud of the service I represent, for I am an American Soldier.'

To Myron's surprise, he clearly heard Mother say the soldier's creed, her voice unmistakeable in the burble of voices from the Company.

'This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My rifle is my best friend. It is my life.' Shane's voice rang out for a moment, starting the other creed on the cards. 'I must master it as I must master my life. My rifle, without me, is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will. My rifle and myself know that what counts in this war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of our burst, nor the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that count. We will hit. My rifle is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its sights and its barrel. I will ever guard it against the ravages of weather and damage as I will ever guard my legs, my arms, my eyes and my heart against damage. I will keep my rifle clean and ready. We will become part of each other. Before God, I swear this creed. My rifle and myself are the defenders of my country. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviours of my life. So be it, until victory is America's and there is no enemy, but peace!'

Even though the Marines were in the minority, the rifleman's creed came out just as strong, the Army portion of Delta taking up the creed with the Marines and promising to follow both sets of ideals. Right in the middle of all the noise, Myron couldn't have been prouder, still fascinated by the blend of Army and Marine creeds but pleased that he'd found the courage to recite what technically wasn't his to claim.

Turning his attention back to Aloysius, Myron caught his proud smile and nodded faintly, relishing the warm feeling building inside his chest as he thought about what he had started within the Company. This might have been Aloysius' idea but Myron had found the rhythm and put his stamp on proceedings.

'My precious Delta, take today and use it wisely. Today is our inception and it should be celebrated in style. Let the barriers down and make of today what you wish. Let me be clear though, you do not have authorisation to leave the base, only to spend this special day as you feel most comfortable. Take the time to get to know those you might not have spoken to properly. Share your memories of those that no longer stand among us. Pass on the legacies of those you remember and honour those we left behind on our journey forward. Tomorrow the hard work begins again. Tomorrow we must face sacrifice, fear and pain again but for now, let Delta ring with good memories and bright dreams for the future.' Aloysius called, lowering his arms and looking around again. 'tonight we pay tribute to the proud service branches that give Delta life but for today, enjoy the break and reinforce what has been promised on this red dirt so far from home.'

Every Delta man and woman responded as one, heads tipped back as they gave an affirmative as befitted their service branch. From the Marines came a powerful Ooh-Rah! But the Army had them beat with a triumphant Hooah! Myron felt it right down in his gut, reinvigorated and feeling so proud to be a Delta man right now. He cracked an even bigger grin when the Marines countered with a gutsy Hooah of their own, reinforcing their bind as a mixed unit. Well Myron wasn't going to let that stand. It seemed like every other Army man in Delta was thinking the same because they came right back at the Marines with their own Ooh-Rah.

'Go on, get outta here you lot.' Aloysius laughed, stepping down and ushering the group back towards the main part of the base.

As the day wore on towards evening, the lines between officers, NCO's and enlisted men blurred completely as Delta enjoyed their inception day. A few of the guys were enjoying a basketball game, Rufus mopping the floor with them but no one seemed to mind. It was only to be expected that he would be good on the court, his height gave him an advantage. Some of the guys were just sitting around talking about missions past or listening to the old hands talking about those that no longer stood in Delta.

Sitting by the CP, Horne cleaned his harmonica before starting to play, his seat carefully chosen so he could see Rusty's abandoned helmet through the tent flap. He played a song to honour the fallen and immortalise the current members of his proud Company. Tongue caressing the metal and he pitched the song back down, paying homage to 172 men lost in the jungle before their time. Sweeping up into trills again, he tried to represent each of his friends in the music, putting his unspoken thoughts and feelings into the music and creating something precious and unique for his Delta Company.

Drawn by Roger's song, Jean-Claude paused beside him before slipping into the tent and placing a hand on the helmet, bowing his head as he offered up a prayer for Rusty's speedy recovery. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a folded white cloth and gently opened it, revealing a perfectly pressed poppy. So careful with the flower, he tucked it into the helmet band, a tribute to a man who had been such an influence on so many lives.

'This we'll defend, Captain.' Jean-Claude uttered, stroking the helmet again before slipping from the tent, leaving the poppy in the helmet band as a reminder to all who saw it.

Relaxed in their tent, catching brief hints of Horne's music on the wind, Alberto and Scott listened with rapt attention as Libby told them of the people she remembered from the original Delta Company. In particular she spoke of Wendall Haynes and Ashley Lewicky, two Marines that were total opposites and still best friends. Her choice of subjects was purposeful, Ruiz wore Wendall's stone and Baker had Ashley's around his neck.

Wandering around the base, Aloysius made the time to talk to as many of his troops as he could, even if it was only for a few minutes. He'd already been back to the CP and heard Roger playing even as he saw the dried poppy in the helmet band. Without thought, he'd picked a random stone out of the can and draped it around Rusty's helmet again, completing the memorial to Rusty but also broadening it to fit all of their lost members.

Perched on the sandbag wall outside the female tent, Mother smiled down at Taylor and Johnson, sitting at her feet and listening to the cadences she was sharing. The Marines might have been the smaller contingent in Delta now but she was making damned sure their influence was as far reaching as possible. They were giving it their best shot, repeating the cadences and getting into the rhythms Mother had known since she was their age. She made sure to spin as many of them to suit Vietnam as she could, fully aware that the guys were getting a kick out of that.

Digging something out of her footlocker, Veronique grinned at the sight of Randy joining group at Mother's feet before she headed towards the Lieutenant's tent. This was something she'd been hanging onto for a little while, ever since she's overheard Captain Knight talking to Lieutenant Goldman about a sacred text left behind in Delta by a fallen Jewish medic. She knew a little bit about Jewish religion and had done a little digging on the sly to find a suitable gift to show Myron that she accepted him as part of her mixed family.

She hadn't been able to purchase anything that felt righto her so she'd ended up making something that she hoped would bring down the barriers Myron had put up. She wasn't sure if it was something he was aware he did, all she knew for certain was the fact he always kept his distance from the men, at least in his mind. He was just as close to the men and women of Delta as the other Lieutenants but in his mind, there was a barrier that stopped him from fully integrating into the team and becoming a true Delta officer.

She'd spent the last few weeks working non-stop on this gift, dedicating every free moment she had to making it as perfect as she could and trading or bartering for the materials she needed to complete her project. It hadn't been easy to get the cotton threads needed to finish the design but she'd pulled it off and was finally ready to present her gift.

Reaching the Lieutenant's tent, she paused and straightened her shirt before ducking inside. Myron was sitting at the shared desk taking up one side of the tent, alone as he focused on his reports.

'Lieutenant Goldman?' she called softly, not wanting to startle him if he was lost in his thoughts.

'C'mon in Veronique.' Myron replied, glancing up from his work for a second before going back to his writing. 'I'll be done in just a second. You can take a seat on my cot if you'd like.'

Settling on the indicated cot, Veronique glanced down at the folded cloth in her hands and hoped she wasn't making a huge mistake with this. The last thing she wanted to do was insult Myron in any way. Hopefully he would understand that she was trying to make him feel accepted and wanted as part of the unit.

'What can I do for you, Veronique?' he asked, putting his pen down and turning to her.

'I have something for you, Lieutenant.' Veronique grinned, shuffling closer and looking him in the eye. 'I know you are Jewish, this is no secret. But I wonder why you go to such lengths to hide this fact from the Company.'

'I guess, for me it's a survival mechanism. Growing up, I was teased a lot for my beliefs and often missed out on things because of the Shabbat. Now that I can make my own decisions, I still downplay it so I don't come across as a weak member of the team.' Myron shrugged, bringing his chair closer to her.

'You are not a weak member of the team LT; you are just as important as everyone else.' Veronique replied, reaching out to rest one hand on his forearm. 'There is no reason for you to hide what you believe; no one in Delta will judge you based on what you have been taught. You might not realise this but Jean-Claude was raised with Wicca teachings. He still practises when he can. Captain Knight knows this and encourages him to do so.'

'I never would have guessed.' Myron noted, surprised by this information but not overly concerned about it. That was Jean-Claude's business, not his.

Looking down at the neatly folded cloth in her hand again, Veronique swallowed quickly and held it out to Myron, hoping he understood what she was trying to say with this carefully thought out gift. There was no telling how he would react to such a personal offering, made with such love and attention to detail.

Unfolding the cloth, Myron's jaw dropped. He didn't know where she'd found this but in his hands he was holding a beautifully embroidered yarmulke, all done in various shades of green over a base that looked almost the same colour as the rumpled fatigues shirt he was wearing. The edge was decorated with a complex looking five strand braided design, the colour variations subtle but he could see them. On the crown, in khaki thread and highlighted with white knots, there was a perfect Star of David, the little white knots running in razor sharp rows along the middle of the khaki lines. Every point in the star was picked out with a little black knot as well, adding depth to the design.

Dragging his eyes away from the incredible gift, he wasn't sure what to ask first. He had so many questions to ask but nothing would come out. He wanted to know where she had found such a beautiful yarmulke in Vietnam of all places and one so perfectly matched to his uniform. He closed his mouth and blinked, looking down at the gift again.

'Where?' he asked, looking at her once more. 'I never thought…'

'Where did I get this yarmulke?' Veronique guessed, eyes twinkling as she reached out to touch his forearm again. 'I got it from many long hours spent in the privacy of my tent, sewing by whatever light was available. I found it by bartering and trading with local women to get the colours and shades I wanted to make a beautiful design that would not be obvious if you wore it in the field.'

'You…A sheynem dank.' Myron uttered, the Yiddish words slipping out without thought.

Veronique had no idea what he'd just said but she could tell he was happy. He seemed shocked though, as if he had never expected someone in his command to give him something as thoughtful as this. The look in his eyes was as though no one had ever taken the time to organise him something so personal.

Noting that his hands were shaking, Myron traced his thumb over the fine stitching along the hem before turning it slightly to line up the seams. Ignoring the tear that slipped down his cheek, he set the yarmulke on his head, watching Veronique watch him position it properly.

'I…you…' he tried, still struggling to get his mind going again.

'Take a minute, LT.' Veronique soothed, catching his hands and squeezing gently. 'Just breathe, calm down and then try again.'

Looking down at their joined hands, Myron smiled warmly, feeling the weight coming off his shoulders. He didn't have to hide his religion anymore, his Company knew and they really did accept him. Veronique had worked so hard to make him something precious and he would wear it every day, no matter what anyone else said on the matter.

'I can't believe you made me a yarmulke, Veronique. No one has ever shown me that kind of generosity and compassion. You must have spent so long on this.' Myron offered, tripping over his words a little but at least he was talking in proper sentences again.

'Getting enough thread to do the embroidery was the hardest part. Once I had that, it was easy to set out the design and put everything together for you, LT.' Veronique replied, looking into his expressive eyes. 'It took many hours but to see you so happy makes it all worth while.'

'How does it look now that it's where it belongs?' Myron asked, tipping his head forward.

'Like it belongs there.' Veronique nodded, admiring the way her gift sat against his hair.

Drawing away from her slowly, Myron walked over to his footlocker and dug around for a moment before coming up with a small shaving mirror. Holding it up high, he managed to see his precious gift and he smiled again, lowering the mirror and turning back to Veronique.

'You have no idea how much this means to me, Veronique.' he smiled, putting the mirror back where it belonged.

'I have an idea, LT. You switched to Yiddish for a moment.' Veronique chuckled, standing and taking his hand again. 'I know only a few Yiddish words, Daniel tried to teach all of us at least a little of his language before he was killed.'

'A sheynem dank.' Myron repeated, squeezing her hand lightly.

'I do not know what that means.' Veronique admitted, unable to tear her eyes away from Myron's bright smile and happy eyes.

'Thank you very much.' Myron translated, finding it easier to get his feelings out now that he'd come to realise just how much she cared about him.

'Vous êtes les bienvenus, frère.' Veronique nodded, cherishing this private and personal moment with Myron. 'You are welcome, brother.'

Stepping closer, Myron slipped his arms around Veronique and just held her, still in shock but he was adjusting to the idea that his team-mates would do whatever they could to keep him happy and encourage him to share his religion freely with them

'I could teach you more, if you'd like shvester.' Myron offered, rocking slowly as the stood there. 'I would be honoured to teach you, my precious sister.'

'I would be delighted to learn, dearest frère.' Veronique sighed, relaxing into Myron a little more and closing her eyes. 'You do me the honour in offering, brother.'

Drawing away slowly, as much as he wanted to continue to hold Veronique and cherish this beautiful moment with her, Myron wanted to go walk among the men and let them see just what he'd been given. He wanted his Delta family to see him happy and relaxed, all because of one thoughtful gesture from a woman that hardly knew him.

'Join me for a walk outside?' he asked, stepping back a little.

'I would like that.' Veronique nodded, turning to retrieve her medical bag as Myron grabbed his cigarettes, lighter and rifle.

Gathering again as the last rays of sunshine caressed the base, Delta Company formed up outside the CP, the differences just one day made clear to see throughout the team. Myron's change was the most obvious but it was plain to see that everyone was relaxed and calm, ready to get back to the serious business of waging war.

Slipping out of the ranks, Roger made his way forward with Libby and Veronique, feeling a distinct charge race up his back at the thought of what he'd been asked to do tonight. Captain Knight had asked him within days of Roger joining Delta unofficially and he'd taken the challenge, spending his downtime practising a couple of specific songs. Tonight would be the first time he performed in public, along with the vocal accompaniment that had been promised.

All eyes were on them, even the Bravo men had gathered in the distance, looking on curiously as the three slightly unusual members of Delta stopped in front of the CP and turned to face their fellow Delta people. A pacifist and two young female corporals, blooded in battle and honoured members of Delta, they were different and they knew it but tonight that difference would be celebrated before the realities of war came crashing down on them again.

Then Aloysius stepped out of the CP, bringing with him the altered memorial that usually never came outside. With all owed respect, Aloysius placed the wooden stand in front of Roger and straightened the stone hanging around it before repositioning the dried poppy from the side to the front, covering Rusty's insignia to make one helmet represent all their fallen.

Stepping forward a little more, Roger placed one hand on the helmet lightly and bowed his head for a few moments before coming to attention and raising his harmonica. He smiled for a second as the girls stepped up beside him before he started to play, the music flowing through him and out into the humid evening air. For now he played a slow, sad tribute, an outpouring of grief for the men and women that had left the unit and gone home draped in the flag or were still out there somewhere, waiting to be found and escorted home at last. Lifting the song just a little, keeping to the haunting feeling but now he payed respect to those that had left the unit with serious injuries, thinking not only of Rusty but of several young men that had tried their luck and failed to walk out of the jungle again and were now back in the world, trying to pick up the pieces of their lives.

Tribute finished, he put his hand back on the helmet before Libby placed hers beside his and nodded faintly. A faint smile and Roger started to play again, hoping he didn't screw this up. He couldn't afford to incorrectly play such an important song. It probably would have sounded better with a bit more of a backing band but Roger was all they had so he gave his all to the songs.

Standing beside Roger, Libby waited for him to get through the intro before lifting her chin and breaking out proudly into song. This was her moment to shine, her chance to lead the Company in a dedication of their service branches. Keeping one hand on the helmet, she put her heart and soil into the music, so proud to have been chosen for this duty.

_From the Halls of Montezuma_

_To the Shores of Tripoli;_

_We will fight our country's battles_

_In the air, on land and sea;_

_First to fight for right and freedom_

_And to keep our honour clean;_

_We are proud to claim the title_

_Of United States Marine._

_Our flag's unfurled to every breeze_

_From dawn to setting sun;_

_We have fought in ev'ry clime and place_

_Where we could take a gun;_

_In the snow of far-off Northern lands_

_And in sunny tropic scenes;_

_You will find us always on the job-_

_The United States Marines._

_Here's health to you and to our Corps_

_Which we are proud to serve_

_In many a strife we've fought for life_

_And never lost our nerve;_

_If the Army and the Navy_

_Ever look on Heaven's scenes;_

_They will find the streets are guarded_

_By United States Marines._

Into the rhythm now, Roger glanced at Renard and paused to catch his breath before starting to play the third song of the night. He wasn't quite sure why she had been chosen to fulfil the other vocal role but he trusted Captain Knight's decision on the matter. If Knight thought Veronique was good enough, Roger didn't need to know any more than that.

Lifting her shin and resting a hand on the helmet, Veronique stepped up and claimed her place in the evening tribute, her voice as pure and pristine as could be asked for to match Libby's performance just moments previous. It sounded almost like another angel had come down to stand among these weary men.

_March along, sing our song, with the Army of the free_

_Count the brave, count the true, who have fought to victory_

_We're the Army and proud of our name_

_We're the Army and proudly proclaim_

_First to fight for the right,_

_And to build the Nation's might,_

_And The Army Goes Rolling Along_

_Proud of all we have done,_

_Fighting till the battle's won,_

_And the Army Goes Rolling Along._

_Then it's Hi! Hi! Hey!_

_The Army's on its way._

_Count off the cadence loud and strong_

_For where e'er we go,_

_You will always know_

_That The Army Goes Rolling Along._

_Valley Forge, Custer's ranks,_

_San Juan Hill and Patton's tanks,_

_And the Army went rolling along_

_Minutemen, from the start,_

_Always fighting from the heart,_

_And the Army keeps rolling along._

_Then it's Hi! Hi! Hey!_

_The Army's on its way._

_Count off the cadence loud and strong_

_For where e'er we go,_

_You will always know_

_That The Army Goes Rolling Along._

_Men in rags, men who froze,_

_Still that Army met its foes,_

_And the Army went rolling along._

_Faith in God, then we're right,_

_And we'll fight with all our might,_

_As the Army keeps rolling along._

_Then it's Hi! Hi! Hey!_

_The Army's on its way._

_Count off the cadence loud and strong (TWO! THREE!)_

_For where e'er we go,_

_You will always know_

_That The Army Goes Rolling Along._

There were a few quiet sniggers when the three Army officers called the cadence with Veronique, putting in a depth and bass that she couldn't manage. The amusement quickly faded though, no one willing to destroy the perfect moment together as a Company for another night.

As the girls returned to the ranks, Roger came around to stand in front of the memorial, signalling a change in what he was going to do. This time when he started to play, he played a lively, happy song, each note and trill carefully thought out to hopefully evoke thoughts of those standing in the ranks around him. There was no specific section for anyone; Roger combined his musical representations of his friends to create a song that summed up Delta Company to him.

The last notes faded away into the encroaching darkness and Roger turned, resting his hand on Rusty's helmet lightly.

'To me, Delta Company is a home and a family but most of all it is a place where we can be whoever we are inside. I have never made a secret of my stance on this war, I won't apologise for who I am but I know here it doesn't matter. I am still a man of Delta, regardless of my beliefs. For that, I can never thank all of you enough.' he declared, having heard a few other guys making similar declarations over the helmet during the day.

'And Delta is proud to have you, Horne.' Shane called, whipping around as a flare arched up over the base. 'We've got company! Move! Move! Move!'

Scattering across the base, the celebrations forgotten completely, Delta got back into the serious business of the war at hand. Knight took a detour to put the memorial back inside before bringing his rifle to bear and charging into the fray, a little annoyed that their celebration had been cut short but such was the way of life in Vietnam.


	7. Ch 7 - Under Siege

Oh-six-hundred in the morning and Aloysius had a feeling that today was going to be another of those days that left him wondering why the fuck he'd ever thought spending time on a firebase was a good idea. The base had already taken some damage and just now the enemy artillery had started up again. From his place in the CP, Aloysius could clearly hear the shells whistling towards them and thudding down into Ladybird, sending up great storm of dirt and leaving behind men injured or dead where they landed.

Horne was standing beside him, trying to get some information on the guns raining hell down on Ladybird and Aloysius was praying someone would have some answers. His Lieutenants were all looking at him for guidance and words of support but damned if he had anything more tha more questions right now.

'What the hell kind of gun is that?' he asked, turning his attention back to Horne.

'I'm not sure. But the forward observer said it may be some type of Russian made heavy artillery.' Horne replied, glancing at Aloysius before going back to the radios.

'Hey, Charlie's gonna level this firebase if division artillery doesn't shut his guns down.' Zeke warned, joining the group in the bunker.

'We don't know what the gun is.' Myron replied, coming up beside Zeke.

'Any sign of a probe?' Shane asked, looking away from the maps.

'No, not yet but we're taking casualties LT.' Zeke shrugged, looking around at the officers. 'I mean, this place wasn't designed to take this kind of pounding.'

'Sirs, we got a chopper coming in.' Horne warned, turning back to the officers in disbelief.

'Well order him off.' Rufus directed, taking some of the command strain off Aloysius.

'I did, he told me to bug off.' Horne nodded, lowering the handset slowly.

'Gimme that handset. You three go find out what the fuck is going on out there.' Aloysius sighed, holding out one hand to Horne.

Grabbing their rifles, the trio nodded and hustled outside as Aloysius abused the poor man on the other end of the radio. He was under a lot of stress at the moment, trying to run a firebase with double the men it needed and only one Captain to control the lot. Admittedly, it had been a little easier since Bravo came under heavy attack but the loss of life from Bravo hurt Aloysius, he'd come to like and respect those men even though they weren't technically his responsibility.

Hustling towards the flight line, the three Lieutenants flinched and ducked instinctively as shells continued to randomly fall on Ladybird, rattling the men further and shaking their trust in their Captain. If Aloysius couldn't find those guns and soon, there wasn't going to be a Ladybird left for him to command.

'Get that wind whipper outta here!' Zeke called, trying to wave the pilot away from the base as another shell thundered down way too close for comfort.

'I don't know who that sucker is but if he tries that again I'll blow him outta the sky personally.' Rufus swore, slowly straightening to his full height.

'I got a bad feelin' about this.' Shane uttered, glancing over his shoulder and making sure the men were holding up okay.

The chopper landed and a single man dismounted before the door gunner threw out a wooden box and his gear bag, not really concerned about where they landed. No pilot liked being on the ground in the middle of a bombardment and this pilot was no different, getting out of the area before he got caught with a stray artillery round.

'Lieutenant Goldman?' the new arrival called, approaching the group and extending his hand. 'I'm Captain Larry Heath; I'm here to assume command of Bravo Company.'

'Sir, we weren't expecting you until Monday.' Shane replied, shaking his hand quickly. 'Lieutenant Shane Schofield of Delta Company.'

'Well, when I heard about the heat I decided to jump in a little early. I spotted some muzzle flashes from the chopper; I think I know where those big guns are located.' Heath explained, looking at the three lieutenants carefully.

'Captain Knight will be real glad to hear that, Sir. This way, Sir.' Rufus nodded, dropping to one knee as another shell slammed down. 'The sooner we silence those fuckin' guns the better. Ladybird can't take much more of this hell.'

'The men can't take much more either Rufus. Nerves are shot all over the place.' Shane agreed, turning and heading back to the CP.

Though they would never say anything, all three Lieutenants seriously doubted that Aloysius would accept this new Captain. Sure, he'd most likely slap on a smile and greet him properly but there was no way this Captain Heath would ever be as comfortably accepted and welcomed as Rusty had been. But Bravo needed a new Captain and Aloysius would just have to get used to sharing his base with another officer of the same rank.

Ducking into the CP, Rufus shot Aloysius a calming look as Heath took control of the situation, ordering Horne to establish communication with division artillery and the chopper that had just dropped him off. Horne paused, looking to Aloysius for confirmation. Only when Aloysius nodded faintly did he comply, setting up the radios and awaiting further instructions.

'Feed this coordinate to artillery. Alpha-Lima-one-niner-seven-seven-eight-zero.' Heath directed, looking at his personal map.

'Alpha-lima-one-niner-seven-seven-eight-zero.' Horne repeated, still wary but Aloysius wasn't swearing at this new arrival yet so he figured it was safe.

'Keep that line open to the chopper pilot.' Myron added, catching something in Knight's posture.

"Roger, one fired." Artillery command replied as Horne nodded, acknowledging Myron's orders.

'Red Leg confirms, one fired for range.' Horne guided, a little uncomfortable surrounded by two Captains and three Lieutenants.

'Artillery on the way.' Myron added, manning the second operational radio.

"Red Leg, this is the chopper. Your initial round landed 200 meters south of the target."

"Roger, chopper."

'Okay, adjust and fire for effect.' Aloysius nodded, beating Heath to the call and reassuring Horne that he had things under control.

'Adjust and fire for effect.' Horne instructed, shoulders drooping a little at Aloysius' reassumption of control of this mess.

"Roger, we copy."

"Good shot, Red Leg. You dropped it right down Charlie's tailpipe. You won't be hearing from those guys anymore Delta 6."

'Welcome to Firebase Ladybird, Sir.' Myron offered, still watching Aloysius to see what he thought of the situation.

'Just doing my job, Lieutenant.' Heath replied, folding up his map and putting it away. 'But I thought this was Bravo Company, not Delta.'

Pushing off the wall where he'd been waiting it out, Aloysius stepped up to stand in front of Heath, looking him over quickly.

'Well, you're half right there. Bravo and Delta share this firebase, have been for months now. Delta is a highly specialised unit, cross trained into various other duties and created from some of the best men that the Army and the USMC has to offer. I'm Captain Aloysius Knight, Delta Company CO. Your only concern here is Bravo Company and it's real easy to tell who belongs to which of us. You see a man with a blue stone like this around his neck and you leave him alone. He ain't yours to command. Only Delta personnel have the authorisation to wear these stones.' Aloysius warned, his voice low and cold. 'You just remember that the next time you start barkin' at my RTO.'

'Easy now Captain, it don't mean a thing.' Rufus soothed, reaching out to place a calming hand on Aloysius' shoulder. 'Ya know us, we ain't gonna listen to some new officer.'

'We follow one Captain and that's you Sir. Bravo business is Bravo business and Delta ain't involved in that.' Shane added, turning his attention to Horne. 'You did the right thing Horne, you made sure your rightful Captain agreed with the plan before acting.'

'You heard our promises, Sir. You know we are loyal to Delta and only to Delta.' Myron agreed, removing his helmet and settling his yarmulke in place. 'Sergeant, why don't you escort Captain Heath over to the Bravo area and let him get to know his new troops.'

'You got it, LT. Captain, this way.' Zeke nodded, waiting for Heath to get the message.

'This isn't over Knight.' Heath retorted, shifting his grip on his weapon.

'Maybe you should tell him what you did about all those other officers that interfered in Delta business, Sir.' Horne suggested, trusting in Aloysius to protect him from any trouble.

Blocking Heath's path when he turned to confront Horne, Aloysius shoved him back a step, making it extremely clear that he wasn't going to let Heath get away with anything while he was on Ladybird. Knight had seniority on base and he didn't care about Heath's story. Ladybird was his base and that's the way it was going to stay.

'You think about this real hard now, Larry. Because if you even so much as try to give an order to a Delta man, I will take you out behind the latrines and beat some sense into you. I only need to say the word to my command chain and you will do twenty years in Leavenworth for interfering in the highly classified mission Delta was created to complete. You ain't the first I've had to deal with and I doubt you'll be the last. Already I have sent away three Majors, a Colonel and a General for interfering in Delta business. Adding a Captain to the list would be easy.' Aloysius growled, forcing Heath back another step. 'The only time I want to see you in the CP is if this base is under attack. Apart from that, stay on Bravo's side and we'll get along just fine.'

Seeming to realise that this was a fight he couldn't possibly win, Heath backed down, turning on his boot heel and storming out of the CP with Zeke right behind him. Sighing softly, Aloysius shook his head and turned to lean his butt against the table in the middle of the bunker, patting down his pockets for his cigarettes. Myron came to his rescue, offering out one of his own with a faint smile.

'Thanks Myron.' Aloysius nodded, accepting the cigarette and pulling out his lighter.

'Had a feeling ya wouldn't like the new guy.' Rufus grinned, shifting to take a knee beside Aloysius.

'So I'm a little territorial.' Aloysius shrugged, inhaling the bitter smoke and relaxing a little more. 'I already told command we didn't need another Captain here. Even worse, they stuck us with a REMF. We'll be lucky if Heath survives a week here, he's got no idea what's coming.'

'You can tell he's REMF just like that?' Shane asked, blinking in shock at the comment.

'He's way too clean. His fatigues are practically new, his rifle clearly hasn't seen a lot of field action and he actually had time to shave today. His holster was shiny, his boots obviously haven't seen a lot of humpin' and his webbing was untouched by battle. All classic signs that we got a rear echelon idiot on one of the roughest firebases in Nam.' Aloysius nodded, leaning back on his empty hand.

'Well, he did help us find those big guns, Sir.' Horne shrugged, not trying to defend the guy but at least he'd done something right.

'Yeah, I'll give him credit for that one. But you mark my words, we'll have a big push from Charlie and he'll freeze up completely.' Aloysius sighed, flicking the ash off his cigarette. 'Spread the word, I don't want Delta getting caught up in whatever he's trying to pull.'

Doing his own normal circuit of the base, Jean-Claude paused at the sight of several Delta men going through the stuff that this new Captain on the base had brought with him. Word had been passed about this new Captain and his position leading Bravo Company so seeing Delta going through the supplies was a great disappointment to Jean-Claude.

He was just about to say something about their actions when Heath approached, either oblivious to the fact these were Delta men or he simply didn't care about Captain Knight's warning.

'You know, I know a guy in special services who's gonna send us all the most recent releases as soon as they come in. In case you don't know, my previous post was on General Woodman's staff in Saigon. I had a nice big desk. Nice big air conditioned office. And I gave it up to come here. I fought to come here. You know why?' Heath stated, looking around the men.

'You could be crazy.' Taylor replied, not noticing Jean-Claude joining the group.

'He must be crazy to risk Captain Knight's wrath. I thought the message was clear, boys. Captain Heath is in charge of Bravo Company, Delta already has a Captain.' Jean-Claude shrugged, staring at Heath as the fresh Captain looked him over.

It wasn't hard for Jean-Claude to tell he was intimidating Heath simply by standing there. With one M60 hanging from his waist and the other slung over his back, barrel pointed heavenward, he cut a mean figure, his shaggy beard and non-regulation length haircut only added to his frightening appearance. His stained fatigues and French accent made him a hard man for an outsider to understand. He wasn't even American and here he was, fighting alongside Americans.

Clearing his throat, Jean-Claude gave the Delta men around him a purposeful look, not saying anything but they got the message. They quickly put back everything they had removed from the crate and tucked in money to replace the beers they'd drunk and the fresh fruit they'd eaten. Without so much as a second look at Captain Heath, they filed away, each one brushing the blue stones they wore so proudly.

'You would not be wise to make an enemy of Captain Knight, Sir. He has power you can only dream of and authorisations that make most officers jealous. His men follow him not because he bribes us with pointless garbage like this but because he stands with us, united against all comers. When trouble hits Ladybird, Captain Knight will be on the wire with the men, fighting for this base. I expect you will be cowering in the CP.' Jean-Claude shrugged, turning away from Heath and smiling as Veronique wandered past.

'C'est pourquoi je déteste les lâches échelon arrière. Pas une cellule du cerveau entre eux.' she remarked, looking up at Jean-Claude with a smile.

'Oui, c'est une honte que nous sommes restés coincés avec lui. Je sais Bravo a besoin d'un nouveau capitaine, mais pourquoi cet imbécile? Assez mal que nous avons à vous soucier de la VC et NVA mais un homme comme ça ... Coccinelle est en grande difficulté.' Jean-Claude agreed, chuckling merrily at her comment. 'Come, we had best tell Captain Knight of this.'

'I am needed on the perimeter. Captain Knight has the men working to shore up our defences. I think he fears we will be attacked very soon with big numbers.' Veronique replied, leaning into him for a moment before breaking away and heading for the perimeter at a jog.

Still feeling off balance about this new Captain on base, Aloysius burned off some of his frustrations with an e-tool, jumping in beside Ru and Johnson to get the trenches dug between the foxholes on the perimeter and the bunkers. He felt a little better for the physical activity but he was still pissed that command had sent an untested officer into one of the hotter spots in the area.

'Somethin' troublin' ya Captain?' Ruiz asked, looking up from his digging.

'Officer stuff, Ru, don't worry about it.' Aloysius grinned, reaching over to ruffle his hair. 'Just can't quite believe command sent us a REMF not a mustang.'

'He can't compare to you, Sir.' Johnson added, still chipping at the floor of the trench.

'That ain't what I heard, Johnson. I heard a bunch of my Delta boys were digging through the bribes Heath brought out here. I hope you two weren't involved with that.' Aloysius shrugged, the warning clear to both men.

'I had a beer Sir, I paid for it though.' Ruiz admitted, hanging his head in shame.

'I was just listening to the tunes, Sir.' Johnson offered, looking away quickly.

'I appreciate your honesty guys, I really do. But next time you want somethin' like that, just come and ask me about it. I got permissions Heath can only dream about, if you want it and I can pass it off as a morale booster, I can get it.' Aloysius nodded, glancing back over his shoulder. 'Got a shipment of goodies a couple days ago. I was gonna keep it for a birthday celebration but I don't see the harm in sharin' out a few treats later.'

'Who's birthday?' Zeke asked, stopping by the trench with a couple rolls of barbed wire.

'That's a secret, Zeke. You'll just have to wait a few more days to find out.' Aloysius chuckled, getting back to the digging.

They all glanced up at the sound of footsteps coming towards them but none of them bothered to pause in their work. There was a lot to be done and Charlie wasn't likely to leave them alone for long. He'd come at them with a vengeance, like he always did.

'Sergeant, what's going on here?' Heath asked, stopping a few steps back from the trench.

'Well, I took it upon myself to get some trenches dug and we strung some wire up along the berm there.' Zeke replied, looking down and wondering why Aloysius wasn't saying anything.

'Who gave you the orders?' Heath pressed, not realising who was right at his feet.

'Don't say a word Zeke.' Aloysius guided, straightening and climbing out of the trench. 'Larry has no authority over you.'

'Yes, Sir.' Zeke nodded, grabbing the wire and heading back towards the perimeter.

'You've been warned twice Heath. First you tried to bribe Delta men and now you're interrogating my Sergeant when he's doing my bidding on my side of the base. Now get back to Bravo's side before I put my boot so far up your ass you'll taste it!' Aloysius snapped, dropping his entrenching tool and stalking forward. 'One more step outta Bravo turf and you can kiss ya career goodbye!'

This time though, Heath didn't turn and leave Delta territory. He stood his ground, refusing to let Aloysius set the ground rules. As far as he was concerned, he had as much right to walk the base as anyone else, he was not going to be pushed around by anyone, including another Captain.

'Don't do it Sir. This slime ball ain't worth it, you've got other stuff to worry about.' Mother called, hurdling the trench to slide to a stop beside Aloysius. 'Let it go, Delta is loyal to you alone.'

'I can't Mother, not anymore. He's already tried to bribe some Delta guys away and now he's tryin' to bully Zeke. He keeps that up and I won't be responsible for what happens.' Aloysius replied, stepping forward sharply and letting off a devastating right cross right to the point of Heath's jaw.

Heath went down like a marionette with the strings cut, landing in a crumpled heap on the ground. Everyone that saw it could only watch in wonder, amazed that Aloysius had decked another man with just one hit and now Heath was out cold.

'Take him back to his tent and tell Bravo to keep their Captain from wanderin' again. I see him on my side again and I may just shoot him and be done with his trouble.' Aloysius directed, turning and jumping back into the trench. 'Don't rightly care how they do it, so long as they keep him away from me for the foreseeable future.'

'You got it.' Mother nodded, scooping the unconscious man onto her shoulders and grabbing his dropped gear before walking away.

'I don't want to hear any praise for that one, Ruiz. I don't like the fact I had to knock him out just to get some peace from him. I'd rather we worked together but I guess it ain't gonna happen.' Aloysius sighed, grabbing his entrenching tool and looking around. 'Santucci! Get your men! Saddle up! You know the route I want you to take!'

'Yes, Sir!' a tall, muscular man replied, grabbing his rifle and helmet before walking away to organise his squad and do another recon of the valley.

Out helping restring the perimeter, Libby was instantly alert when Zeke stopped paying complete attention to the fortification efforts. Putting down the roll she was working with, she came up beside him, scanning the tree line slowly. When Zeke got all tense like this, something was about to go to hell on them. He had a sixth sense about this place, he knew when trouble was coming before anyone else had any clue.

'Wow, Santucci's Squad got themselves a prisoner.' Purcell remarked, stopping beside Zeke and looking towards the group that just came into view.

'Somethin' ain't right.' Zeke warned, unslinging his rifle and moving forward cautiously. 'Hold it right there now!'

Everyone was tense, waiting and watching to see what Zeke was going to do and if things were about to get out of hand. This time no one challenged Heath when he came to see what was going on, mainly because most of Bravo Company was also standing around watching.

'Where's your squad leader? Where's Santucci?' Zeke asked, still observing the small group and trying to work out why he didn't like this.

'Anyone got any idea?' Shane asked, coming up behind Libby and Danny.

'Not a clue, Sir.' Danny replied, keeping his eyes on Zeke.

'Somethin' ain't right with the squad. Zeke got real wary as soon as they appeared.' Libby added, ready to bring her rifle to bear but she was waiting for Zeke to make the call.

Then one of the squad members spoke but he didn't speak English. He gave away the secret when he sprouted something in Vietnamese. Instantly Zeke went to his knees and opened fire and Libby and Danny brought their rifles to bear and sighted on the dinks, taking out the two on the flanks as the "prisoner" fell to Zeke.

Charging forward, Shane sighted calmly and nailed the fourth as he tried to disappear into the scrub again, another death cry piercing the air amidst the gunfire as he dropped. Without missing a beat, the quartet raced forward, finding their kills in the grass and making sure they were dead. Charlie was definitely up to something and he was getting mighty cheeky to try something like this.

'These dinks are gettin' mighty cunnin' now. Nice catch Zeke.' Shane praised, shouldering his weapon and grabbing up the enemy he'd killed.

'What's the end game to this idea though?' Libby asked, hoisting up her kill onto her shoulders.

'Beats the hell outta me but it can't be good.' Danny shrugged, collecting the third and making sure to grab everything on the ground.

'Charlie's gonna hit us hard tonight. I just know it.' Zeke warned, grabbing the last dead gook and dragging him back towards the base.

Joining the group watching the four-person team bringing back their kills, Aloysius pushed past Heath and gave him a warning look before moving forward to meet the group as they lined the enemy bodies up on the ground inside the base. Going down to one knee, he started searching the body of the man Danny dropped off, looking for anything that might explain why this had happened. There was nothing in his shirt pockets but tucked in his belt, Aloysius found a map case.

'NVA, 409th regular infantry.' Zeke noted, identifying the patches on the uniform.

'Charlie's startin' to make his play for this area.' Aloysius nodded, looking at the map he'd just found. 'For once Intel got it right, those gooks are aiming right at Chu Lai.'

'Last report on this unit, they were north of Hanoi. He's playing right into our hands.' Heath added, coming up to look at the bodies.

'What the hell were they doing that close to the base?' Myron asked, turning to Aloysius for guidance and answers.

'They're trying to establish our strength. Come nightfall, these maggots are gonna run right over this place. No doubt about it, regardless what you think Larry. They won't pass by or bottle us up, they'll be on a seek and slaughter mission, huntin' everyone that calls Ladybird home.' Aloysius sighed, looking up at Heath. 'Yeah, I heard your briefin' to Bravo but you're wrong on this one.'

'I know how these people think. This base is of no strategic importance to them.' Heath replied, not giving up so easily this time.

'You don't know squat, Heath. Don't matter about strategy, only killin' Americans. I already seen my Company get wiped out once. I ain't gonna let it happen again.' Aloysius shot back, pushing to his full height and stepping past the bodies.

'Hey, maybe Santucci's still alive.' Johnson suggested, distracting Knight from his wish to punch Heath again.

'Yeah, we'd better send out a patrol and see if we can find them.' Aloysius nodded, thinking of who he should send out.

To his surprise, a squad of men stepped forward, ready to go out there and find what had happened to Santucci and his squad. But they weren't Delta men, a few brave Bravo men were offering to go out without even saying a word.

'Now that's real nice of you boys but it ain't my call. Ya wanna go out there, best ask ya Captain about it. I appreciate the offer but they were Delta men.' Aloysius sighed, looking at the waiting men then back at Heath. 'Quit starin' at the kills and answer your men, Heath.'

'We know they were Delta men, Sir, but Delta's been nothin' but good to us since ya'll arrived here, half dead and completely outta ammo. We owe it to ya to go out and find ya men.' Terry Jackson nodded, his bright green eyes so eager to do a good thing for Delta.

'I'll make you a deal, Knight. I'll send these boys out to look for your missing men if you'll give me that collar insignia.' Heath offered, pointing to the gook right behind Knight's feet.

'So you can send it back to General Woodman.' Aloysius snorted, shaking his head. 'No deal. Those are destined for General Westmoreland.'

'There's got to be some give and take here.' Heath replied, determined to get something for his favourite General.

'Oh sure, there's give and take. You give your support to Delta operations in this area or I'll take your commission, your career plans and your freedom.' Aloysius countered, crouching and tearing off both collar insignia before tucking them in his pocket. 'But then, your Bravo men would probably still go out there, they've got more loyalty to me than you.'

'Fine, fine. I can tell when I've been outmanoeuvred.' Heath nodded, turning to the squad of patiently waiting men. 'Go on, go see if you can find Santucci and his men.'

'You got it, Sir.' Jackson grinned, leading his squad towards the wire.

'Smart move.' Aloysius smirked, turning to Anderson. 'Police these bodies and bury 'em deep. Make sure nothin' goes walkabout either. I expect a full inventory of what you took off this lot. I'm expectin' a lot more stuff for Brigade by the time this is done.'

'We're on it, Sir.' Zeke replied, whistling sharply for some extra hands to help with the job.

'Walk away Heath or I will deck you again. These are Delta kills and we ain't gonna let you steal out Intel.' Aloysius hissed, working to heard the other Captain away as Jean-Claude and Buck arrived and helped Zeke with the search.

Shane was first on scene when Jackson and his Bravo squad returned, bringing with them the four wrapped Delta bodies. Each one was placed at his feet with the ultimate of respect before the living squad withdrew to report back to Heath about their discoveries. Ignoring them, Shane knelt beside the first body and pulled the poncho back, eyes widening in shock at the blood dripping the wrong way down the bodies. Instead of pooling or running towards their feet, the blood ran up towards their heads.

Sick to the stomach, Shane swallowed the bile rising up his throat and reached out to slip the cord loose, amazed that the Delta stone was still there. Everyone knew that the gooks took the dog tags of dead Americans as trophies but for some reason, they always left the Delta stones right where they belonged. Whether it was trying to prove a point or simply Charlie bragging that another Delta member was dead, Shane didn't know. All he knew was every Delta dead they found still had their stone around their necks.

Fighting to keep his lunch down, he removed the stones of each man in turn and helped to secure them in body bags for their long journey home before standing, the four bloodied stones clutched in his right hand.

'God speed, my brothers. Delta will mourn your passing with great sorrow and honour your memories proudly. Find peace now, brothers, you're in a better place.' he whispered, turning and heading for the CP to report the losses officially.

Approaching the CP, Shane paused at the sight of Heath pacing in front of the Squad that had carried Santucci and his fellow Delta brothers' home. It seemed that their efforts simply weren't appreciated by Heath.

'So, you turned tail and ran.' Heath challenged, getting into Jackson's face again.

'No Sir, we withdrew. Hell, they coulda nailed us anytime they wanted to.' Jackson replied, standing proud on his actions.

'How many did you see?'

'Believe me Sir, they're out there. I mean, they wanted us to find those bodies.'

'Did you take any fire?'

'No Sir. They're tryin' to spook us. I mean we…there were tracks everywhere out there, we came across a bivouac.'

'Your job, what you're being paid for, is to find the enemy, notify me so I can call in air and artillery support!' Heath was on a rant now, pissed as hell and looking for someone to blame.

'I wasn't gonna rimy my men's lives any further. We got proof we need.'

'I can't go to General Woodman with a greasy rag! I need concrete, conclusive evidence that the enemy is moving through this sector!'

'Sir, we need more men.' Jackson defended, taking Heath's rant in his stride.

'No! What we need is competent leadership! What we need is a certain kind of aggressiveness! And if you're not up to the job…'

Shane couldn't help but laugh at Heath's face when a Vietnamese accented voice echoed over the base. It was a mix of shock and total, unrestrained confusion. He'd asked for proof and here was a gook that spoke pretty good English talking to them.

'Attention! Attention all GI in Bravo and Delta Company. You are surrounded by the People's Army of North Vietnam. You have no chance! You must surrender now or you will die!'

'Not gonna happen. You picked the wrong Company to fuck with!' Shane spat, shaking off his shock and heading for the CP again.

Aloysius was standing just outside, listening to the accented voice ringing down the canyon. He was on edge, rifle clutched firmly in his right hand as he looked out towards the mountains, a deep scowl on his unshaven face.

'I know you've got a lot to think about right now, but Jackson made it back. The news ain't good.' Shane sighed, holding out the found bloodied stones.

'Damn it!' Aloysius spat, taking the stones and holding them in his palm. 'Santucci was a hell of a man and a bloody good Corporal. His Squad might not have been fully up to standards but they were makin' real progress to becoming incredible examples of Delta.

'Jackson and his Squad got reamed by Heath for not getting shot by the NVA. He was pissed they came back with the bodies but no real proof of the enemy in this sector. You shoulda the look on his face when this zip started talkin'. Part shock but mostly unrestrained confusion.' Shane grinned, trying to lighten Knight's mood.

'That'll teach him…maybe. Just 'cause ya don't see Charlie out there don't mean he's not sneakin' around somewhere close.' Aloysius smirked, turning and heading back into the CP.

Shane followed him inside and stood silent witness as Aloysius washed off the bloodied stones and tied them into a bundle before tucking them safely back into the ammo can he always kept near the memorial in the corner of the bunker. A pause by the memorial for a few seconds of silent tribute to the dead and Aloysius was on the move again, heading back out to calm the men and get them focused on the fight to come.

1400 hours and morale on the base was at an all time low. Their mystery NVA voice still echoed down the valley every so often and the occasional shell slammed into the base as the men of both Companies worked to fortify their base for the coming battle.

'Put down your arms, GI! Why do you fight LBJ's unjust and immoral war? You are victims of capitalist oppression! Look around you! There are no sons of the ruling elite fighting at your side! You are surrounded! Unless you surrender, you only have a few hours to live!'

Smiling as Horne rigged one of their radios to the PA system on the base, Rufus accepted the handset and mentally crossed his fingers. This was a big gamble, there was a chance Charlie would target him if they figured out who was talking but he had to do something to buck up his Delta family before their confidence was completely destroyed.

'Hear me, my combat family! The enemy claims that there are no sons of the ruling elite here but they are wrong! I stand here beside you, a Delta man to the core! I could have avoided this war! I could have paid my way free and gone on living the life of a millionaire! But I chose not to, I made my decision to step up and be counted! I trained as a pilot and I flew proudly for the Army! I earned my time at a desk job but I turned it down to stay here where I was needed! I am here my brothers! I am here and I bleed with you!' he declared, looking at Horne and Taylor and promising with his eyes that his words were true.

His piece said, he handed the radio to Taylor and sunk down behind the sandbags, waiting to see what Taylor would say to stir up the enemy further. This was probably bad form and against regs but it was too much fun and they were just getting Charlie back at his own game.

'Get down! You singin' the wrong tunes, chop mouth! That's right! You the ones better surrender! You little sawed off fish-head suckers! That's right! This is your last chance or you're all gonna look like leftovers from a razor fight at a chitlan supper!' Taylor called, laughing and trading high-fives with Horne. 'Hey, hey chief, c'mere, c'mere. Say somethin' about Ho Chi Minh's momma.'

Joining the group, Mother couldn't wipe the smile off his face as their little Vietnamese translator let rip, putting out some fairly abusive Vietnamese comments over the radio. No one in the little group knew exactly what he was saying but it certainly stirred things up out in the bush. Someone out there came back with another rush of angry Vietnamese, sending everyone on base into fits of giggles and broad smiles, the tension completely disappearing.

Veronique was next to join the group around the radio, accepting the handset and letting rip in French. She wasn't sure if anyone out there could understand her words but it sure felt good to abuse the NVA in her native language. She called them every rude and obscene thing she could think of, even using a few new curses she'd learned from the men and translated into French.

Once she finished her rant, there was silence for a moment before another voice came back down the valley, this one a Vietnamese accented French voice. Everyone broke out into laughter again, not understanding the words but it was so much fun to stir Charlie up into a blinding rage. Veronique was laughing hardest of all, leaning heavily on the sandbags as she handed the set back to Taylor, thoroughly enjoying the moment.

'Alright fish heads! This is radio Ladybird you…' whatever Taylor was saying was lost as another salvo rained down on the base.

'No more joke, GI! Tonight you die!' and there was the English speaking one back again. No one was afraid now though, they were feeling confident and itching for a real big fight.

Things were getting pretty dire by 1700 hours. They were getting close to being out of water and they were getting short on mortar ammo as well. Both Captains did what they could to ease the concerns of their men but neither could be confident of their actions and words doing much.

Heath gave Bravo a bottle of scotch to pass around as he gave them a spiel Charlie not attacking the base head on, merely bottling them up until the main force had passed them right by. He claimed Charlie was playing into their hands but no one really believed him anymore. He promised that as soon as the enemy troop concentrations were location, artillery and the fighter bombers would wipe them out.

Aloysius on the other hand, gathered his men and treated them to candy bars and sodas, wanting his men to be perfectly sober and feeling good when Charlie came at them. He handed out extra candy bars too, encouraging his men and women to tuck a few in their pouches and pockets to help get them through the long night ahead of them. There wouldn't be time to eat from here on out, they had to be on full alert at all times and try to repair the artillery damage as they went.

Spirits lifted a little more at the mention of a resupply coming in, bringing in extra ammo and water to get them through the night. Neither Captain was aware that the other had also put in the call, sending the request into two different lines of command and getting authorisation from two Colonels for the supplies to be brought in immediately.

Just as they were both getting to the climax of their morale boosting moments, down came the enemy artillery again. This time it was a lot closer to tearing through Ladybird's defences, leaving them open and vulnerable. Without an order spoken by any officer, Bravo Dan Delta broke formation and ran, scattering towards firing positions and any other available cover to escape the bombardment.

Seeing Heath still standing in the open, Aloysius grabbed him by the collar and hustled for the nearest defendable position, shoving him down behind the sandbags before hitting the ground and peeking over the bags warily. Heath showed no such concern though, getting right back up and grabbing for his binoculars, scanning the horizons for any sign of the enemy positions. Aloysius let him go, wondering it maybe there was a sniper out there that would remove this problem for him.

Footsteps behind them and Aloysius turned as Horne dropped to his knees, holding out the handset for his attention. At the same time, Travis Andrews was trying desperately to get Heath's attention.

'It's the secure net. It's the Colonel.' Horne warned, hunkering down beside Knight.

'This is Delta 6. Over.' Aloysius nodded, looking up at Heath as he confirmed his ID for Colonel Dalby on the other radio.

"What's happening 6?"

'We're takin' a pounding up here Sir. We could really use some arty help before Ladybird gets wiped off the map.' Aloysius warned, peeking over the sandbags again to check on his troops.

"We got trouble all over the place. There's a mortar attack on your supporting arty base. HQ and fire control are off line."

'Got any tac air for us?' Aloysius asked, flinching as another shell landed in the middle of the base.

"Negative on that to. Your air cover was pre-empted by an attack on the airbase. Its bedlam, we got hotspots all over the sector and beyond."

'C'mon Sir, ya gotta give us somethin' here. Even with all our prep, Ladybird ain't gonna be here tomorrow without somethin' with more punch than we've got.' Aloysius was getting desperate, his team was strong but they couldn't survive this without assistance.

"That's not your style, Aloysius. I know you'll think of something to get you through this. We'll get you something as soon as it's available."

'Sir, I know it's a long shot but what about Raven 2? Might be a whirlybird but he's just the kinda guy to do somethin' crazy.' Aloysius tried, desperate for anyone to throw something bigger at Charlie than his people could do on their own.

"Sorry 6, he's out on a mission…out to Ladybird."

'What? But I didn't…Delta 6, out.' Aloysius gaped, looking up at the second Captain again. 'Horne, adjust the frequency and see if you can't get Raven 2 on the line.'

'On it, Sir.' Horne nodded, shouldering out of the harness and getting to work. 'Raven 2, this is Ladybird, over. Raven 2, this is Ladybird. Do you copy?'

He kept trying, chasing the right frequency and calling for Raven 2 with increasing desperation. As soon as Heath was done with his call, the Bravo RTO got onto it as well, both men working together to try and reach the crazy pilot Aloysius needed right now.

"Go ahead Ladybird. This is Raven 2, over."

'Raven 2, this is Delta 6. We could use a little of ya magic here.' Aloysius replied, grabbing the handset from the Bravo man.

"I'm meant to be running these supplies to a Captain Heath at Ladybird."

'I know that, 2. He's standin' right here beside me, waitin' for those supplies. But if we don't get some kinda help, there ain't gonna be a Ladybird for much longer.' Aloysius snapped, losing his cool completely.

"Alright, I'll see what we can do 6. No promises but we'll try."

'We'd sure appreciate that 2, its hell out here.' Aloysius nodded, just hoping one crazy pilot in a chopper could do something.

"Leave it with me 6. Raven 2, out."

Sending the RTO's back to man the radios in the CP, Aloysius rolled to his feet and started scanning the sky, praying for a glimpse of their much needed supplies. He didn't really care which load he got, so long as at least one load of those supplies made it through he'd be happy.

'You called for a resupply?' Heath asked, seemingly stunned by the idea.

'Gotta look after Delta. I'm surprised you thought to do the same.' Aloysius nodded, not taking his eyes off the sky.

'I think we got of on the wrong foot. I admit, I don't really know what I'm supposed to do.' Heath sighed, joining with the search for the inbound choppers.

'Yeah, it kinda shows too.' Aloysius agreed, glancing at Heath for a moment. 'Most important thing to do is keep morale up as best you can and don't make empty promises. Everyone is scared out of their minds right now but we can't afford to show it. We're supposed to be cool, calm and in control of this mess.'

'And just how are we meant to do that?' Heath asked, lowering his binoculars.

'That's the trick. We can't be in control of this mess, we can only try to make it look like we know what's going on and have a plan. We've got supplies incoming and know what we need to do to assure victory. How we get there I another story.' Aloysius shrugged, turning his gaze back to Heath. 'Keep your head on straight and we should come through this in reasonable condition.'

All eyes turned skyward at the sound of two choppers coming towards the besieged base. Swooping down towards the base, they brought with them fresh home and a new chance to win this damned fight. One broke off and headed right over the base as the other circled out to the side, looking for the trouble out there.

Identifying the Delta delivery with the aid of a small white marking on the underside of the bird, Buck ran out to meet it, shouldering his rifle and watching the door gunners for the sign. The left Gunner leant out, holding a smaller box in both hands as he searched for a target to receive the gift. Signalling his readiness to make the catch, Buck set his feet and held his arms out, constantly moving with the chopper so he was in the right place to catch this precious load.

Leaning out a little more, the gunner above released his payload, sending it plummeting towards the base and right into Buck's outstretched arms. Grunting with the impact, Buck pressed the crate to his chest and looked up, thanking the aircrew with a nod before turning and racing away with their special delivery.

'Doc! Doc!' Buck called, hunting for the young medic.

'What's up, Sarge? Captain Knight just called for Delta to gather at the wire. The second supply drop went outside the wire.' Randy briefed, skidding to a stop beside Buck.

'Don't worry about that, you've got other concerns. This came in with the chopper that got in over the base. Medical supplies, probably some morphine too.' Buck explained, handing the box to Randy. 'Get it down into the bunker, we'll haul the rest of those supplies to safety.'

Over near where the second supply drop had landed, Aloysius waited a second longer for a few more of his Delta people to gather before turning to Heath with the barest hint of a smile.

'Captain, if we don't get that ammo we're gonna be throwin' rocks at Charlie.' Zeke warned, agitated by the hesitation.

'Heath, we need Bravo to cover. Delta can get the supplies.' Aloysius nodded, securing his rifle and leading Delta towards the wire. 'Let's go!'

Charging from the base, the men and women of Delta gathered around the resupply, aware of the risks but there was no other choice. Hauling the cargo net free, they got to work, grabbing crates and boxes and bolting for the safety of the base again. Jean-Claude and Rufus each grabbed a crate of mortars and then shouldered up to the big water bladder, rolling it back towards the base as fast as they could. The thing had sprung a leak but there was a chance they could still get most of the water out of it before it was lost into the soil.

They didn't take the supplies too far into the base, just far enough for Bravo to grab it from relative safety and complete the hustle before the dedicated men and women of Delta went back out for more supplies. They knew every second outside the wire was dangerous but they were still going to try and get as much of this stuff as they could.

They kept on going until there was only a few crates left on the net and that's when Jean-Claude stepped into his own again. Grabbing the ropes attached to the cargo net, he took off running back towards the base, the net folding back over and trapping the remaining supplies inside. Zeke, Buck and Mother all grabbed a hold as well, spreading out the load and making sure they didn't lose anything. Anything that did slip the net was grabbed by another member of the team and hustled inside, the Company determined to lose nothing this time.

They were panting hard by the time they got back inside the wire but the job was done, all of the supplies were secure and they'd scraped through without anymore casualties. Crouching beside one of the mortar crates, Buck popped it open and lifted out one of the transport tubes. Popping the cap off, he tipped the round into his hand and his face fell.

'These are useless in our tubes.' Myron sighed, looking up at Captain Heath.

'This is 60 millimetre, we need 81.' Buck added, shaking his head slowly.

'Tell me you guys got the right mortars.' Jackson called, running towards them with another undersized mortar round. 'The other supply drop got small rounds.'

'So did we, 60 instead of 81.' Buck replied, looking down at the useless shell in his hand.

'Did we at least get the hand delivery?' Aloysius asked, wiping the sweat from his face.

'We did, Sir. I received the special delivery and gave it to Matsuda to be put to the best use.' Buck confirmed, finding a quick smile somewhere.

'Good, at least that's somethin' goin' right. A medic with no morphine ain't a lot of help.' Aloysius nodded, looking down at the small mortars and frowning. 'We need a new plan.'

Horne was next to join the group, holding out the radio to Aloysius, eyes wide in fear as he waited for the Captain to be finished with this call.

'Sir, it's Raven 2.' Roger offered, standing guard as Aloysius took the handset.

'Yeah, this is Delta 6.' Aloysius sighed, slamming shut the ammo box and sitting on it.

"Sorry about the wide shot, 6, but we did manage to get a few dinks for ya."

'Appreciate it 2, that's a few less that'll try to run right over us tonight.' Aloysius nodded, not really bothered by the news. 'Do me a favour. When you get back to wherever you picked up this load, rip the supply Sergeant a new asshole on our behalf. Those idiots sent us two shipments of the wrong mortars. We need 81's, not these 60's we got.'

"If I can, we'll bring you out a load of 81's but see what you can do with the 60's for now."

'Understood 2, thanks.' Aloysius nodded, looking around and trying to come up with a plan. 'I'm open to ideas if anyone knows what to do with small mortars.'

1800 and things were at an all time low. The men were down in the bunkers, bagging up their favoured possessions to bury for protection. The Sergeants were still trying to come up with a plan as the Captains tried to get some kind of support while the Lieutenants watched on and waited to command to figure out what to do. Ladybird was in great danger and no one knew how to protect her this time.

Stepping into the Delta bunker, Mother looked around as Horne finished playing a sweet blues number before dropping his harmonica in the bag and passing it around.

'If we bury it, at least the gooks won't be able to get our stuff.' Johnson sighed, placing his bible in the bag and handing it to Baker.

'You know, I started writing my mom in English. It's gonna be hard enough for her to understand this in Spanish, Sarge.' Ruiz uttered, looking up at Mother, so lost and terrified.

'Alright, ya'll, now listen up here. I want you to take one of your dog tags and stick it inside your boot. Make sure you tuck it in real tight, we don't want it comin' out before this is over.' Mother guided, looking around slowly. 'Alright?'

'Sarge? We don't have a chance, do we?' Danny asked, so close to falling apart but he was trying to hard to be strong.

'Oh yes we do, Danny. There's always a chance. I got faith in the Scarecrow, he always come up with a plan at the last minute. Can't say there'll be much of Ladybird come mornin' but we'll still be here. Captain Knight won't let this become another Delta massacre.' Mother soothed, stepping deeper into the bunker. 'Hey Ruiz, now when this is over I want you to get a haircut, okay?'

'I ain't ready for this Sarge.' Ruiz replied, shaking his head quickly.

'Nobody is, Ruiz. You can never be ready for somethin' like this. All we can do is stick together and fight our hardest to survive.' Mother sighed, looking around again. 'C'mere brothers.'

Seemingly confused by her request, Baker was first to move, stopping in front of Mother and looking her in the eye. He quickly relaxed when she pulled him into one of her famous bear hugs, holding him tight and trying to offer some comfort to young men scared out of their minds. His acceptance started a flood and the men came to her, drawing comfort and strength from her unbreakable spirit.

Peeking into the bunker, Aloysius managed a tired little smile as he watched Mother doing all the could to raise Delta spirits. Now he had to try and save Ladybird and two companies of young men from certain death at the hands of a big concentration of NVA regulars. Slipping quietly from the doorway, he headed back to the CP to rejoin his Lieutenants in the hope Heath had calmed down again. He was still trying to get support but Aloysius knew they were on their own now. Tonight Ladybird stood alone, the survival of base and men rested solely on the shoulders of those that called this base home.

He came into the CP to hear Heath berating Jackson for not flushing out the NVA, a so called third rate peasant army. Pushing his way between Myron and Zeke, Aloysius crossed the bunker and shoved Heath up against the wall, one forearm pressing up against his throat.

'Now you listen here, Larry and you listen real good this time. Ladybird ain't dead yet and come sunrise, she's still gonna be here. With or without your help, Bravo and Delta Companies will stand up and defend this base because that's what we're supposed to do! Yes, we're low on ammunition! Yes, we're completely surrounded! But I will not stand by and watch my home be destroyed! Now you either shut up and sit down or you pull your head in and get it done!' Aloysius roared, easily restraining Heath against the wall.

'There's nothing we can do.' Heath gasped, trying to shift Aloysius' arm from his throat.

'Coward!' Aloysius spat, spinning Heath around and getting him into a choke hold.

It was over in moments, leaving Heath unconscious on the floor as Aloysius turned back to his team for any ideas on the subject. They didn't have a lot of time left before Charlie would make his move. If they were going to defend Ladybird properly, they had to make a start now.

'Sir, I noticed we got a couple extra crates of grenades in the shipments. I reckon we can make a kind of minefield outta them to give Charlie a shock.' Rufus suggested, scratching his head quickly.

'And I think we can use a Maghook to launch a few grenades further than we can throw 'em. Not sure how it'll go but if nothing else we can use one grenade to set off the minefield Rufus is thinking of.' Shane added, the idea coming out of nowhere.

'Good, make it happen. I'll be out to help with the defence efforts in just a moment. First I gotta deal with our extra burden.' Aloysius nodded, looking down at Heath on the ground.

Hustling outside, the Lieutenants and Sergeants gathered just near the CP, throwing ideas back and forth to create a working plan. Mother had finally joined them, her eyes tired and hopeless but she was still standing strong.

'I don't care what Heath says. We can't just roll over on our backs and die. Captain Knight has always looked after us, we owe him the same right now.' Buck declared, refusing to believe what Heath had said.

'We aren't gonna die here.' Myron replied, looking around slowly. 'We still got those mortar shells?'

'Yeah, and a C4 block.' Zeke nodded, catching onto the idea.

'Yeah. That'll work.' Myron grinned, looking up when Rufus grabbed his shoulder. 'We're gonna make those mortars work for us. Shell plus C4 plus det cord equals perimeter defence.'

'Alright, get the men organised. Let's get it done.' Aloysius called, hustling up to join the group.

'Sir, I think I can make something to really give Charlie a fright.' Jean-Claude offered, eyes locked on the fuel barrels he could see.

'Don't talk about it Jean-Claude, make it happen. We don't have a lot of time. Rufus, I'm going to need help with the minefield, I know how to make those grenades a little less predictable for Charlie.' Aloysius smirked, breaking away from the group with Rufus right behind him.

Heading back to the Delta bunker, Zeke stepped inside, the massed plan fresh in his mind. Everyone had a purpose and now it was time to prove just why Delta Company was held in such high regard.

'Alright you guys, on ya feet. We gotta move. Taylor, you gotta round up some det cord, as much as you can find. Baker and Horne, there's a couple buckets of nails over by the mess tent. You go get 'em, pick up any nuts, bolt, anythin' metal you can get your hands on. Purcell, go grab any steel pickets you can find, Jean-Claude needs 'em out on the perimeter. Johnson, you and Gant go help Lieutenant Goldman. C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, we gotta go!' Zeke barked, turning and heading straight back out as soon as the message was passed. Confused by the directions, the team paused a moment before flying into action, responding to the call as was asked.

Lugging the gasoline barrels into position all over the base, Jean-Claude headed back to where Ruiz was working on preparing phosphorous grenades for the battle ahead. Everyone was coming together, coming up with the craziest of ideas to make their base into a fortress as quickly as possible without compromising their own safety.

'I got Purcell huntin' up the pickets ya need, sent him to the perimeter with 'em.' Zeke called, joining the group with an armful of boxes of soap powder.

'Good, those will be perfect.' Jean-Claude nodded, grabbing several belts of M60 ammunition and racing away again.

'I got the det cord.' Taylor added, scrambling towards the group with a full roll of the stuff.

'Now Baker, here's a diagram that'll show ya how to rig up those gasoline cans ya just moved into position. Ruiz give him a hand.' Zeke ordered, handing Baker a sheet of paper.

'Soap suds?' Taylor asked, confused by the appearance of the boxes.

'Yeah. Take this detergent with ya, your gonna need det cord and as many phosphorous grenades as you can get ya little hands on, alright.' Zeke nodded, watching over his men as the orders were passed through the ranks.

Starting to set up another workstation beside Zeke's group, Buck set out a case of the mortar shells along with more det cord, C4 and electrical wire. He had several of the smallest Delta guys gathered around him, all eyes on him as he pulled out the first shell and got to work.

'Now listen to me, listen real close now. You're gonna unscrew the fuse, take the fuse out, insert the det cord with a dab of C4 and then you screw the fuse back in. You wrap 'em together with electrical wire, then you skean out to the perimeter. Out as far as you can, you string your electrical wire right back to this little ol' detonator. You got that?' Buck briefed, showing the men what to do even as he explained it.

'Yeah Sarge.' they all nodded, watching him closely.

'You got it? Now if ya don't, speak up now.' Buck pushed, wanting to be certain this was done properly. They all said they got it so he put them to work as Horne brought more crates of mortar shells over to them.

'Sarge, what's goin' on?' Taylor asked, still trying to make sense of the plan.

'We're gonna set up three lines of defence. The perimeter and the CP bunker.' Buck replied, glancing at Zeke with a smirk.

'And a little treat for Charlie if he happens to make it through the first two.' Zeke nodded, a cheeky little grin stuck on his face. 'Alright let's do it.'

Goldman was next to come past the workspace, tapping Johnson on the shoulder as Gant hustled past with a box of broken glass in his hands.

'Johnson, you're my new cannoneer.' Goldman directed, also watching Gant with the glass box.

'Yes Sir but I ain't got any ammo.' Johnson replied, turning to Goldman.

'Just get me some nails and some wire.' Goldman instructed, sending Johnson running to obey and heading back towards the base guns.

Over by the guns, Libby was busy shovelling broken glass into several recycled shells, hands protected with a thick pair of gloves she'd borrowed from Purcell. They were a little big but they were doing a pretty good job of protecting her hands.

'What's with the glass, Libby?' Myron asked, crouching beside her.

'Captain Knight's idea Sir. It'll melt upon firing and will burn Charlie if he gets hit with it. It'll also heat up the shrapnel put on top, adding to the pain.' Libby explained, finishing with her job and rising. 'I'm needed on the perimeter, Sir.'

Johnson was soon there with a box of bolts and other metal shrapnel. He didn't need to be told what to do, he saw the shells half full of glass and quickly topped them up with metal, packing them down and listening to the crunch of the glass compacting. That done, he wadded each one down and handed the first one to Goldman. Checking the wadding was tight and everything seemed okay, Goldman loaded the gun, their hopes pinned on what a few exhausted grunts could do without those specially trained for the job.

Out on the perimeter, Jean-Claude buried another steel picket in the bank surrounding the base and ran a line of det cord along it before placing a quarter belt of M60 ammunition against the det cord and carefully burying most of the contraption. All he left exposed were the actually bullets and a length of det cord leading back over the bank and down to where someone could light it.

'What is this, Sarge?' Danny asked, bringing up a few more pickets for him.

'Light the det cord and a quarter belt will fire all at once almost. Charlie won't know what hit him.' Jean-Claude grinned, moving further along the perimeter and starting to dig another trench for another line of bullets.

Over by the CP, Zeke was busily setting up the second line of defence when the Bravo RTO stuck his head out, lightly tapping his shoulder even as he watched what Zeke was doing.

'There's a relief column on the way Sarge.' he offered, looking out towards the rest of the base for a moment before going back to watching Zeke work.

'When?' Zeke asked, still mostly focused on defending the base but he needed to be able to tell Captain Knight about the incoming assistance.

'By daylight.'

'By daylight their ain't gonna anythin' left here but elbows and toenails. Now get back inside and watch Captain Heath, we've got enough trouble without him going anywhere.' Zeke replied, not liking their chances but they had to try.

'He's not going anywhere, Sarge. Captain Knight tied him up in a neat little package.' the RTO grinned, disappearing back inside.

Darkness had engulfed Ladybird, broken only by a few fires still burning across the base and the occasional flare going up over the base. It was now 2100 hours and everyone was on edge. Hunkered down in their foxholes around the perimeter, they waited and watched, not sure quite when Charlie would come at them but they knew he was coming.

Moving along the trenches, Horne handed around canteens to everyone, warning them that he came with the last of the water. At least the canteens were mostly full but it still left everyone in doubt as to whether or not it would be enough. Along with canteens of water, Horne distributed granola bars and fruit jerky, giving the guys another little energy boost to get them through.

Doing their own rounds, the lieutenants offered a few words of comfort and support to the men, back to looking after the weakened Bravo since Heath was out of action and their last Lieutenant had been killed in an arty strike at around 1500 hours. There wasn't much they could say but they tried to ease the fears of their men, even if all they could do was offer them a supportive smile and a few comforting words.

As much as he wanted to be out on the front line with his men, Aloysius knew he had to stay back and man the radios in the vain hope that someone would come to their aid. He didn't really care who, he'd settle for Raven 2 if he had to but to know someone else was coming before daybreak would be a huge relief.

Crunched down behind hid 60's, Jean-Claude was really feeling the pressure. After a brief discussion earlier, it had been decided that his firepower would lead the assault. Ladybird's survival rested on his shoulders, he had to make the right choice on this one.

'Just got the latest update from the CP.' Goldman uttered, dropped in beside Jean-Claude.

'Oui?' he asked, glancing up from his weapons.

'Nothing.' Myron sighed, risking a peek over the barrier. 'You ready?'

'Oui. You?' Jean-Claude nodded, still watching Myron closely.

'Yeah. You wait until they're on us, Jean-Claude.' Myron replied, resting one hand on Jean-Claude's back lightly.

'Oui, Sir.' Jean-Claude responded, lowering one machinegun and rolling onto his side as Myron offered his hand. A quick handshake and Myron left, letting Jean-Claude get back to his watch as they waited for hell to rain down on them.

'Incoming!' someone bellowed as the first whistles of arriving shells reached the base.

'Alright! When the shells hit, get your heads back up! Charlie will be right behind!' Jean-Claude roared, ducking down as the base come under some really heavy fire.

Scampering through hell, Randy and Veronique did their best to keep on top of the wounded, rushing from one bad situation as they just tried to survive the bombardment. In so many situations there wasn't anything they could do for the wounded except be there as they lost the fight to live. They tried so hard though, giving freely of whatever support and assistance the could before hustling to the next emergency.

Popping back up together, the unified force of Delta and Bravo peered into the darkness, waiting for the signal to blow Charlie to pieces. They wanted their payback but for now they waited, tensed and agitated but Jean-Claude had to be first, his firepower would give Charlie a big jolt and give everyone a chance to fight as one.

'Hold your fire now, hold your fire.' Zeke called, glancing along towards Jean-Claude and wondering what he was waiting for. 'Alright, stand by. I'm gonna hit the mortars!'

For makeshift bombs made by men that didn't have a full understanding of mortars, their first line of defence was reasonably effective, throwing up some rather impressive explosions and sending more than a few NVA troops flying as screams of the dying and maimed ripped the air. Buck's work group had done good with the bombs, they had good coverage and no misfires.

But still the enemy came, calling out in the dark as waves of NVA troops came ever closer to the base. Jean-Claude let them get a little bit closer before yanking the friction fuse attached to the det cord and ammo belt contraption buried in front of his foxhole. There was a moment of nothing before his contraption roared into life, throwing a quarter belt at the enemy in one wide line.

'round two!' he roared, listening as the rest of his buried ammunition was fired at the enemy, the air filling with the sounds of bullets whipping through the air and casings crashing back into the pickets buried in the dirt.

The flat belts slowed Charlie down a little but the enemy was still pushing forward, determined to wipe Ladybird off the map. But those gooks out there could never have thought just how determined the men of Ladybird were to hold their base. Another wave of flat belts ripped across the gap before Jean-Claude leant into his M60's and opened fire, spraying Charlie with everything he had available.

All around their home, the men and women of Ladybird opened fire as one, Delta Company taking the full brunt of the attack but Bravo was holding their own on the flanks. Through the smoke and the shadows, the NVA came flowing down towards the base, roaring battle cries and shooting at anything in the darkness. In response, the mixed team inside the base screamed their own battle chorus and pegged grenades out into the mine field they'd set up, setting off chain reactions that Charlie had never anticipated.

'Fall back to the CP!' Mother ordered, pegging another grenade out into the masses of the enemy before turning and racing for their fallback defences.

Even in their retreat, everyone pulled together, working in waves to make sure no one was left unprotected for even a second. They couldn't keep everyone alive but they gave it a good old American try anyway. They would have to count the dead in the morning, there was no time to even drag the dead to cover at the moment.

Over at the base artillery, Goldman waited a second longer for Charlie to get into range before firing the lowered cannons across the base, sending a blazing ball of hell at Charlie. The metal shrapnel was heated and the glass fragments exploded out in hundreds of globules of molten glass, sending up another wave of agony for the NVA before he took off running for the CP.

One by one, the remaining artillery on the base got the same treatment, sending waves of vicious homemade frag shells over the base. Those that weren't killed instantly would have some nasty scars for the rest of their lives, proof of the night they tried the wrong thing against Ladybird. She might have only been a small base but Charlie could never have anticipated just how tenacious the men and women of Ladybird could be.

Down on their hands and knees, Randy and Veronique climbed over the dead and critically wounded scattered everywhere, trying to do whatever they could whenever they found a live one. Veronique was proving to be more than just a field medic though, she'd grabbed an M16 off a dead soldier and now spent just as much time defending them as she did trying to save the wounded. Randy was more focused on the wounded but he knew Veronique would not let any harm befall him tonight. They were a team and they looked out for each other.

'Doc! Get outta there!' Zeke roared, drawing Randy's attention for a moment.

'Randy! Down!' Veronique snapped, rolling over and bringing up her rifle. Randy hugged the ground beside her as she opened fire, nailing a couple of gooks that had been sneaking around in the shadows behind the medics.

Launching out of the trench where he'd been taking cover, Buck bolted forward as Randy cried out in pain. Opening fire with Veronique, he grabbed Randy and shoved him back towards the trench, just hoping he had the strength to make it to safety before anything else happened to him. Veronique was next to fall back, dropping into the trench and heading for the CP as Mother grabbed Randy and took off after her, careful not to jolt him around too much.

Down in the CP, Aloysius took up a position right inside the doorway, rifle up as he scanned for anyone that would try to harm his people. Bravo and Delta alike raced towards him, slipping past him and spreading out around the walls, huddled in tight as they waited and prayed to see another morning. There was no dividing line anymore, Delta and Bravo huddled together, terrified eyes on their command team as they just tried to survive.

Mother was one of the last in, dropping into the corner with Randy in her arms. Veronique was instantly with them, doing whatever she could to stabilise Randy and give him the best chance of surviving until the morning.

'That's everyone. Get away from the door.' Zeke called, scrambling inside and clapping Aloysius on the shoulder.

'Oh hell.' Aloysius uttered, diving for the wall and pressing in between Myron and a still bound and gagged Heath.

'Everybody down! Here goes our second jolt!' Buck roared, grabbing the detonator beside him and twisting the handle.

With an earth shattering series of explosions, their rebuilt CP was partly destroyed again, trapping the remnants of both companies inside in the dark. Huddled up together, robbed of their hearing by the blasts and left in complete darkness, the men and women of Ladybird could only hope their seniors knew what they were doing, they had to be here come morning.

Finally the ground stopped shaking and things went quiet for a few moments. Then the coughing and spluttering started as the people in the CP went for torches and looked around at their self induced prison. A few torches came on, lighting up the dust filled room as the tightly packed warriors tried to work out if they were safe or not.

'Everyone okay?' Aloysius asked, hacking up a lung as he half sat up.

'Randy's hanging in there, Sir. It looks bad but he's not ready to quit yet.' Veronique replied, looking down at Randy, now safely tucked up between her and Mother.

'Listen.' Myron uttered, head coming up as the sounds of digging reached the trapped people.

'Alright, Charlie's diggin' through.' Zeke confirmed, looking up warily.

'Everybody get down as flat as you can.' Jean-Claude guided, adjusting the way his 60's were sitting and crunching down against the floor.

'See ya'll in hell.' Rufus drawled, firing off the detonator in his hand.

If Zeke's defences of the CP had rattled a few brains loose and half deafened the group hidden down here, Rufus' blast really shook things up. It sounded like an artillery salvo had landed right on the CP and underneath that they could just make out the sounds of screaming enemy troops. Jean-Claude had first come up with the idea of using their gasoline barrels as bombs but Rufus had refined the plan and turned it into their own version of napalm.

Eventually things quietened down again but they had no way of telling what was going on outside. All they could do now was wait for morning and the relief column that was coming. For now, it was safer for them to stay inside the bunker until friendly forced came to dig them out.

'Alright guys, we're gonna be stuck in here for a bit longer yet. So if you can, try and get some rest. There's a relief column due by daylight, we just have to wait for them to secure the base and dig us out. You did good, all of you.' Aloysius praised, looking around slowly by the light of his torch.

'Sir, do you think there's much of Ladybird left out there?' Purcell asked, looking down at Horne, curled up beside him.

'I don't know, Danny. One thing's for sure, we'll rebuild her again. Regardless of what's left, we'll put her back together again.' Aloysius replied, shifting to sit up against the wall and reaching to haul Heath up to sit beside him.

'One of us can sit up with Captain Heath if you need to rest, Sir.' Libby offered, pressed in against Ruiz's back comfortably.

'Get some sleep Libby, I don't mind sitting up tonight. You all worked so hard to defend the base, this much I owe you.' Aloysius grinned, looking around and watching as his troops settled again, finding whatever comfortable positions they could and settling in for the night.

Down they all went, tucked up close to each other as they tried to find places to sleep. Myron brushed up against Aloysius then apologised softly, bringing Aloysius' attention back to him. Zeke had snuggled down into the floor and was using Myron's thigh for a pillow, restricting where Goldman could go for a comfortable spot to rest his head.

'No one will care, Myron.' Aloysius whispered, slipping one arm around his shoulders and drawing Myron closer.

'Thank you, Sir.' Myron uttered, shuffling a little more and resting his head on Aloysius' shoulder, helmet tucked in behind him.

Rufus moved in the dim light, dragging Heath away from Aloysius so Horne could squeeze in near Aloysius, setting his radio in easy reach before resting his head on Aloysius' thigh. Flicking off his torch and putting it away, Aloysius placed his now free hand on Horne's shoulder, stroking softly to comfort him as he drifted towards a well earned rest.

"Delta 6, do you copy? This is Able 7." Aloysius groaned softly at the sound of an unfamiliar voice in the bunker. "I say again. Delta 6, do you copy? This is Able 7, do you read?"

'Sir, the relief column must be here.' Horne added, nudging Aloysius lightly and pressing the radio into his hand.

'Right, thanks Horne.' Aloysius groaned, glancing at Myron, still asleep on his shoulder. 'Go ahead Able 7, this is Delta 6.'

"We've arrived at Ladybird. Can you say your location?" Able 7 requested, his voice stirring Knight's survivors from their rest.

'CP bunker, we could use some help gettin' outta here.' Aloysius nodded, scanning the room quickly. 'We have at least one seriously injured down here but it's so dark I can't give more info at this moment.'

"We copy, Delta 6. Do you know where Bravo might be?"

'All Ladybird survivors in the CP.' Aloysius replied, still amazed that he'd managed to cram so many people into one CP bunker. 'The sooner ya get us out, the better. We're all feelin' the strain of bein' stuck in here.'

"We're on it, Delta 6."

The sounds of digging efforts just outside the CP got the men excited, voices calling out to guide their rescuers closer to the final release of two companies that had been pushed to their limits.

'Everyone stay where you are. Our first priority has to be the wounded, we'll all get out in turn.' Aloysius called, letting Myron take a moment to get his head sorted out before he sat up.

'Randy's still with us, Sir, but he needs help now.' Veronique replied, her torch flicking on so she could properly examine Randy's condition.

Finally the doorway was opened again and Mother worked to her feet, cradling Randy to her chest safely. Picking her way through the people on the ground, she got him to the door and passed him up to the men outside before accepting a helping hand out. Veronique was next out, hurrying back to Randy's side and briefing the fresh medics on his situation.

One by one the men made their way out of their dark hole, accepting helping hands out of the pit and flinching from the bright sunlight of another day in Vietnam. The sheer number of men packed into the CP bunker surprised the men from Able Company, they could only stare in disbelief and wonder as the long line of men kept climbing out of the bunker and looking around at their mangled firebase.

Ladybird was now a shattered mess, sandbag walls blown apart and not a building left untouched by the hell that had rained down the night before. Gasoline barrels were torn wide open, warped and twisted metal all that was left to mark their final stand. Their carefully dug trenches and foxholes were piled with bodies and debris, making them useless until a big clean up effort was completed. It would take weeks to repair Ladybird back to her old glory but no one was daunted by the task. Ladybird would rise again because of her men and women.

Last out of the bunker, Aloysius turned and grabbed Heath, dragging him over his shoulder and carrying him through the base. Stopping in the middle of the base, Aloysius sat him down and crouched, slipping the gag loose and untying his ankles but he didn't bother with untying Heath's wrists. Then he stood again and looked around, horrified by the damage done to the base but so very glad they were still alive.

'And this is the difference between a REMF officer and a mustang. I knew the base could be held and I wasn't going to let you destroy morale. We're still here, because Delta refused to give up. Now I suggest you go back to your big deck and your air conditioned office because we don't want you here.' Aloysius sighed, pushing Heath back down when he tried to rise. 'You don't deserve to stand on Ladybird, you are not worthy.'

Turning at the sounds of footsteps approaching, Aloysius sighed softly and allowed Heath to stand as Colonel Dalby approached, swagger stick under his arm.

'Larry? Are you okay?' Dalby asked, resting one hand on Heath's arm.

'He should be. Damned useless REMF officer spent most of his time cowering in the CP or stirring up trouble with Delta. He dared to suggest that Ladybird was a lost cause so I restrained him in the CP until we could send him back to the rear.' Aloysius scoffed, his disdain for Heath clear.

'Is this true, Larry?' Dalby sighed, gaze drifting from Aloysius to Heath and back again.

'Yes Sir, Colonel Dalby.' Heath admitted, not even straining against the rope biting into his wrists.

'I'll take him off your hands, Aloysius.' Dalby nodded, holding out his hand for the rope.

'We'd appreciate that Sir.' Aloysius replied, removed his good rope and shoving Heath towards the two men standing behind Dalby. 'We lost a lot of good men.'

'You did a hell of a job, Aloysius. The General's gonna be real proud of ya.' Dalby praised, resting one hand on Aloysius' shoulder. 'You all did a hell of a job. The damned kill ratio must be better than eleven to one. We slaughtered 'em. Now this is just the kind of head on fight we've been waiting for. And with a little luck, there'll be a lot more days like this one.' Dalby declared, looking around at the men gathering.

'All due respect Sir but that don't mean shit. We were damned lucky to survive and we know it. The next time Charlie tries somethin' like this, we might not be so lucky.' Rufus replied, coming up beside Aloysius.

'Another fight like this one could see a firebase obliterated. We got lucky, we had the wrong ammunition delivered, one supply drop landed outside the wire and we had no support left just in case we got into shit.' Shane agreed, joining Aloysius and Rufus.

'This never should have happened Sir. Delta needs a certain amount of leeway if we're going to complete our mission. This never should have happened. The very idea that Charlie wouldn't attack this base is ludicrous.' Myron nodded, completing the line against Dalby.

'Alright you three, that's enough. Go see if the stockpile is still intact. If it is, see that everyone is rewarded for last night. If not, let me know and I'll organise something to be sent in.' Aloysius laughed, sending his Lieutenants scampering to obey. 'They have a point though Sir. Last night should never have happened. Heath was adamant Charlie would pass us by and look what we got.'

Before Dalby could muster a response, Aloysius turned on his heel and walked away, reassuring his troops and making sure they were doing okay. Watching him leave, Colonel Dalby had to admire Aloysius' presence on the base., it was so obvious now that no other Captain could hope to fit in with his style of running a firebase and keeping his men focused and happy. There were little flashes of humanity on show here, moments when rank ceased to matter and they were all simply people trying to survive. Shaking his head in wonder, he turned and walked away, leaving Delta and Bravo to rebuild their firebase without the threat of another Captain upsetting the balance.


End file.
